For the past year and half, the story of Noah has been on my heart. Every time I read it, I’m reminded of just how little we actually know about Noah and his interactions with the world during his time building the ark. Here are some things we do know:
1) Noah was a man of God.
2) God gave Noah a command.
3) Noah followed his directions.
4) God fulfilled.
It's a simple story. Maybe it is the recent Bar examinee in me that wants to dissect each piece of this seemingly simple pie, so as to point out all the ways this plan could have gone awry in a story that can be concluded in 4 steps of explanation, but the simplicity of the story is not the point. It’s the idea of faithful preparation that has been stuck in my mind for years now. Genesis 7:5 says “Noah did everything just as God commanded.”
And I have to believe that was a challenge. Although the math on the time it took to construct the ark from “first call” to “first rainfall” is up for some debate, it’s been estimated in the neighborhood somewhere between 55-75 years. But it was not 55-75 years of waiting, it was 55-75 years of doing; of acting out of expectation.
I have always had this funny image in my head of Noah waking up on his bear skinned rug every morning, and just as he comes awake, but before he opens his eyes, he just listens for the sound of rain. And he thinks, “is it here yet?” And then in the silence he pops one eye open and listens some more. He peeks out his tent window at dry and desolate lands, grabs his tool belt, and heads out to work. With every second of dry skies, Noah prepares for the time when the rain will come.
This idea of staying resolved to preparation has been on my heart the most as the second half of law school began and we started to dream towards the future. Like Noah, we’ve spent time with God, and we recognized His voice when he called. Now the struggle is to stay true to the preparation as we wait for Him to fulfill his promises.
Every day that we wake up without rain, is another day to prepare for the day the flood comes.
-Ashlie
1) Noah was a man of God.
2) God gave Noah a command.
3) Noah followed his directions.
4) God fulfilled.
It's a simple story. Maybe it is the recent Bar examinee in me that wants to dissect each piece of this seemingly simple pie, so as to point out all the ways this plan could have gone awry in a story that can be concluded in 4 steps of explanation, but the simplicity of the story is not the point. It’s the idea of faithful preparation that has been stuck in my mind for years now. Genesis 7:5 says “Noah did everything just as God commanded.”
And I have to believe that was a challenge. Although the math on the time it took to construct the ark from “first call” to “first rainfall” is up for some debate, it’s been estimated in the neighborhood somewhere between 55-75 years. But it was not 55-75 years of waiting, it was 55-75 years of doing; of acting out of expectation.
I have always had this funny image in my head of Noah waking up on his bear skinned rug every morning, and just as he comes awake, but before he opens his eyes, he just listens for the sound of rain. And he thinks, “is it here yet?” And then in the silence he pops one eye open and listens some more. He peeks out his tent window at dry and desolate lands, grabs his tool belt, and heads out to work. With every second of dry skies, Noah prepares for the time when the rain will come.
This idea of staying resolved to preparation has been on my heart the most as the second half of law school began and we started to dream towards the future. Like Noah, we’ve spent time with God, and we recognized His voice when he called. Now the struggle is to stay true to the preparation as we wait for Him to fulfill his promises.
Every day that we wake up without rain, is another day to prepare for the day the flood comes.
-Ashlie
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