Living in an Ark

At the cozy apartment of Reinier, we tackled the life of Noah today. Remember that guy who built the boat (which seemed like a floating coffin)? He was a man who did what God asked him to do. He was the guy who should be given royalty for Nike’s “Just Do It” line.

The verses we read are from Genesis 6:9-7:5

⁹ This is the account of Noah and his family.

   Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. ¹⁰ Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

 ¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. ¹² God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. ¹³ So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth. ¹⁴ So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. ¹⁵ This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. ¹⁶ Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. ¹⁷ I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. ¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹ You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. ²⁰ Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. ²¹ You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.”

 ²² Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Here’s a recap:

1. Man at that time was evil
2. Since man was evil, God wanted to restart things
3. Noah was righteous
1. He was a descendant of Enoch, who also walked with God (when you walk with someone in these terms, it means you are in an agreement. Amos 3:3)
4. God gave instructions to Noah to build an ark with specific instructions to have animals and Noah family live in and you’ll notice
1. The Bible didn’t mention of Noah being the best candidate to captain a boat
2. The ark wasn’t shaped as a boat. I may picture it as a rectangular cube.
3. It had no rudder
5. Noah did what God told him to do

What I learned:

Most of the time, it is difficult to do what is right when the world is full of evil. It takes a lot of courage to do what is right in God’s eyes. Noah showed it was possible. And with Noah living the righteous life, God gave him favor. God saved Noah and his family.

God’s redemption also shows that he also saves what is important. He saved the animals! I guess we wouldn’t have our cats and dogs if it weren’t for the first generation of cats and dogs stepping in the ark!

When God tells you to do something, just do it. We may not understand why we should, but He knows what's best. Noah wasn’t a maritime/nautical expert, he just got the ark built (which had no rudder) to be filled with animals! Without a rudder at sea, one will panic (or at worst die) when a wave comes up straight ahead and you can’t avoid it! Here we see that God is the captain of the ship. He is in control.

Back then when I was in the corporate world, I had so much power and resources thinking that by this time I'd have full control of my life. I thought if I acquire several watches, shoes, being settled down and the thought of having to go home to someone with a kiddo (or a cat or dog named after a Bible character) would make me truly happy. I thought I was in control. But no matter how much control you may think you have, it's only God who is in control. Everything has changed since then.

I'm a full time painter, and believe me, there's not so much control in this part of the world than there is compared to a small shop. But it's different now... especially that I have realized and placed God to control my ark. What He's doing now in me is so much greater than before. Opportunities are lining up which are unbelievable! Now don't get me wrong thinking I'm the happiest man in the world (where at times yes I am) but I do get my downs and super downs. And during those down times, I bring myself back to God  to remember that He is control.

Many of us are in an ark. The storm is strong. We have no rudder. There are a few windows in our ark to see what’s really going on outside. We live day by day not knowing what will happen. No matter how much control we want, we just don't have it. But remember:

• God has provided Noah with the resources to build the ark and to survive during the storm.
• God saved Noah and his family
• God saved what was needed for future generations
• God was in control

What God did for Noah, He can do for everyone. We may not know where our "ark's" will take us, but let God do the work. He will set you upon a mountain where you will see a rainbow. Let us do what is right, do what God asks you to do, and keep the faith.

God bless!