“Grounded For Years to Come”

Monday, September 19, 2022

BIBLE READING: Hebrews 11.7

Imagine being the only person on the face of the earth that was right with God. What a struggle. How easy would it have been to let go of conviction and just go with the flow? “Surely, I can’t be the only right person in this world… Can I?” I know that thought would’ve run through my head. But maybe I just don’t have the faith of Noah. 

“By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household...” (Hebrews 11.7a). Many people of faith were called to actions that put them in direct opposition with others. But Noah’s calling was simply to accomplish this construction project. While it was a little bit strange, he probably could’ve gone about his business without disturbing others. So, how does this demonstrate faithfulness?  

First, God asked him to do something that seemed foolish to others. The entire world was doing something else. Noah’s conviction was radical and frankly weird to everyone else, but he saw through his temporary moments of rejection and mockery to the future that would be blessed by God. That is faith in a nutshell. Men will always fancy themselves smarter than God, but the foolishness of God is greater than the wisdom of men (1 Corinthians 1.20-29).

Second, God knew that Noah’s choices would send a clear message to those around him. “...By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” (Hebrews 11.7b). “Noah, [was] a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when [God] brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly” (2 Peter 2.5). His actions were never intended to be done in a corner. Instead, God wanted the world to see Noah’s obedience as a witness to his faith. "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5.16). 

Finally, this project took a really long time to complete. Preparation and building probably took upwards of 100 years, and all the while Noah was trying to warn people of what was coming (2 Peter 2.5). What is most amazing is there was no evidence this would happen, except for the promise of God. Noah believed, feared and trusted in God as he constructed this boat. It’s important to see that Noah’s commendation comes right after Hebrews 11.6: “whoever would come to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who diligently seek him.” That is critical for understanding Noah’s actions. No one else believed that God existed and would reward them for diligently seeking him. But Noah did and it kept him grounded for years to come.  

We claim to believe in God and his promises, but do our actions reflect this truth? In a world of unfaithfulness, Noah obeyed all the Lord commanded him and he was saved. Obedience is always an outflow of trust. We obey traffic laws because we trust they will keep us safe. We obey the advice of a mentor because we trust they have our best interest in mind. When it comes to God, we have even more reason to trust him than Noah did. Let us not shrink back or falter in our trust and obedience. We can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13.6)

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