Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Genesis 8: Off the Ark and On His Knees

Why on earth do I ever doubt that God is in control?
His sovereignty is sprinkled all over Genesis 8 ... and all over this world and our lives.
The chapter begins with the reassuring truth that God didn't forget Noah and his arkmates. Well, of course not. After all, there wasn't anybody else left on earth.
But suppose it said here that God did forget about them, even for just a minute? Think about how disconcerting that would be. If I let myself imagine that, then I can appreciate the truth that God didn't forget Noah ... and He doesn't forget us as we bob up and down on our arks in this fallen world. 
I see in Genesis 8 that at the right time, God conducted the forces of nature like a mighty orchestra to recreate our planet. He caused the wind to blow and the waters to subside; He closed the fountains of the deep and the floodgates of the sky; He restrained the rain.
And He did it all in perfect order, with perfect power and precision. 
I see that in all the references in this chapter to specific dates and times: 
... at the end of 150 days the water decreased 
... the ark rested upon a mountain on the 17th day of the 7th month
... on the first day of the 10th month, the tops of the mountains became visible 
... 40 days later, Noah opened the window 
... he sent out birds every seven days to seek land 
... on the first day of the first month of the 601st year, the surface of the ground was dried up 
... on the 27th day of the second month, the earth was dry.
Honestly, it sounds like a woman describing something to a man who just wishes she'd skip all the details and get to the point.
But these time and number details aren't just irrelevant fluff. No, I think they confirm that the events in Genesis 8 actually happened, and happened according to God's timetable -- a God who obviously cares about details. 
Do you ever feel like our eternal, transcending-time-and-space God forgets how long some of our hours and days and years seem ?
He doesn't. He counts them with us. He's not bound by time, but He is obviously quite aware of it.
"And on the 14th day of the 5th month of the 1,957th year, Mary Ann was born. And on the 28th day of the 8th month of the 2,013th year, Mary Ann sat down, read my Word and wrote this blog post."
And on any particular day of any particular month of any particular year, He knows what you're going through, how long it will last, and exactly how to unfold His plan in your life ... and in this world.
He sees and He knows.
I can't leave Genesis 8 without also mentioning the very first thing Noah did when he finally got off that ark: "Then Noah built an altar to the Lord ... and offered burnt offerings on the altar." (vs. 20)
Noah worshipped God. 
After all he'd been through -- all those months tossed around by waves on a boat full of stinky, noisy animals; all those months of fear and uncertainty and discomfort -- after all that, Noah worshipped God. 
He wasn't bitter over what God had done to him; he was grateful for what God had done for him. 
Easy to see why God chose Noah, isn't it?
And God "smelled the soothing aroma" of Noah's worship and said, "'...I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done.'" (vs. 21)
Worship matters to God. 
God remembers. God restores. God notices. God responds. God rewards. God controls.
Don't know about you, but I'm glad I'm His.








1 comment:

  1. Amen and so am I so thankful I am His. With all my warts and shortcomings, it is blessed to know that He still loves me.

    Mary Ann you have a wonderful way of communicating and it blesses me so to receive from you of the gift that God has given you.

    Mamapup

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