God is Faithful

Dear Friends,

When God commanded Noah to build the ark, Noah obeyed, he did everything that God commanded him to do.

Noah, his wife, his 3 sons and their wives along with the animals who entered the ark were kept safe and protected.  They were in the ark for nearly a whole year.  Can you imagine what it must have been like to have spent almost a year in the ark?  The noise and smell from the animals, not being free to wander outside and smell the fresh air.  The waiting and the patience needed to wait.

I wonder if, after all those months, Noah experienced times of doubt.  Had God forgotten him?  Did God care about him at all?  Had he really heard from God in the first place?  Would he spend the rest of his life confined to the ark?

I know for myself there are times when I wonder if God has forgotten about me.  Perhaps you’ve been there too - a situation where it feels that God has forgotten you, where he doesn’t seem to be acting on your behalf.  It may be that some time ago you felt God saying something to you, but he hasn’t yet fulfilled his word, the situation doesn’t change, your health doesn’t improve as you thought it would, your marriage is falling apart, the job promotion you thought would be yours has gone to another colleague.  The rift in your relationship with your children is still there, God hasn’t provided you with a spouse, your dreams of a new role in ministry haven’t been fulfilled even though you believed God was leading you in that direction.  Whatever the situation is for you, you begin to wonder if God really cares as you thought he did, there seems no way out, and you even begin to wonder if you really did hear from God in the first place.

I find so much encouragement in the verse “But God remembered Noah...”  Genesis 8:1 (NLT).  God isn’t like us.  Sometimes Jason will ask me to do something for him, which I agree to do, but evening comes and I realise I’d forgotten to do what he’s asked, or it may be a friend’s birthday and I’ll mean to send a card in the post, I remember too late and need to send a belated one.  Or I intend to do something and get distracted by something else.  I am so glad that God isn’t like that – he never forgets, is never late and never gets distracted.

 

When it says “But God remembered Noah...” what it really means is that now was the time for God to act on someone’s, in this case, Noah’s, behalf.  God remembered Noah, he kept him safe during the flood and brought him out of the ark to experience the blessing God had planned for him – a new life.

Be encouraged, that whatever you’re circumstances are right now God has not forgotten you, he has not been distracted by another matter, he’s not been side-tracked and he is not late!  At the right time, and by the way, the right time is in his time, he will “remember” you, he will act on your behalf.

The hard part for us is waiting and trusting in God for his timing.  I’m sure Noah would have liked to have left the ark earlier than he did, but that would most likely have ended in disaster because the time wouldn’t have been right.  Only God knew when the right time was, the best time was, and when that came, he acted.  We often wish God would act more quickly, but when he doesn’t we need to trust him that he does know best and when the time comes he does promise to act.

To Think About:

What situation are you in right now that you are waiting for God to act?

Is there something God requires of you while you wait?  Is there a lesson to learn?

Do you choose to trust in him and his word and wait patiently for him to act?

 
 

Vicki