READ: Genesis 6:9-9:29 /
Psalm 4
Verse
chosen for meditation: Genesis
7:5
"And Noah did all that the Lord had commanded him."
REFLECT
A
verse like Gen 7:5 may just fly over our heads without us pondering the
difficulty of such an action, the faith required, and the repercussions of Noah’s
obedience (or lack of it). Building the ark was a massive project requiring MANY
years. It couldn’t have been easy for Noah, not only physically, but also
mentally, knowing the doom awaiting humanity.
It’s
not like Noah gloated at the rest of the world and celebrated God’s choice of saving
only his family. A man like Noah, a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5),
would not delight in the plight of others, and probably built the ark with a
heavy heart. Under such trying circumstances, obeying every instruction with
such accuracy showed his unwavering trust in God. This obedience continued in
Gen 8 when Noah verified that the land was dry. However, he trusted God’s plan
so much that he continued waiting, and only left the ark upon God’s command.
RELATE
I’ve
often struggled with the story of Noah in the past, and how God could wipe out
humanity. Even if deserved (their evil at that time was known to be
incorrigible), this still seems “harsh”. Struggling to reconcile with that,
would I still be able to obey our God? Facing a blueprint as shocking as a
world-ending flood did not shake Noah’s faith in our God.
For
much lower stakes, I find myself not being to obey, at least to the extent of
Noah. I often took things into my own hands and even justified this is what God
wants for me, when at the core, the deepest motivation is what I may want for
myself. A simple example is that if I were Noah, I probably would’ve stepped
out of the ark when I verified that the land was dry, perhaps having pride that
I found favour in God’s eyes and thinking I have followed God’s plans
sufficiently. In reality, it's because I was sick of being cooped up in an ark. How many
times have we found ourselves not following God’s blueprint for our lives, citing
many reasons, or not desiring to even find out what’s His blueprint? Is it a
trust issue? Not being able to let go of things we want to hold on to? Or being
lazy to carry out the blueprint to its full extent? For me, it’s all of them.
Noah
followed everything. 100%! That proved essential not only for his family’s survival,
but the survival of humanity. We often fail to realise that God’s plan is the
best for us. Is it because we doubt God’s character? After all, how can one
simply follow with conviction when not convinced God wants the best for us? In
Noah’s story, some may question God’s love and ask: If this
is God's response to unchecked human sin in the world, what hope is there for
us? How can we, being sinful, be loved by God and find peace with Him? Noah’s
story serves as a powerful foreshadowing for our Messiah’s ministry, and in
addressing these questions the rest of the Bible is written to answer.
REST
Dear
God, forgive me for all the times I lack faith in your blueprint for me. Even
with your promise of empowering me for what you planned for me, I find myself
worrying and not trusting. Thank you for your grace despite that, and not
forsaking me even when I failed to follow your instructions. May your Spirit
continue to work in me, so that I can obey you more and more each day. Amen.
Chris
Chong
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