trbccoffeebreak

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (Proverbs 9:10, ESV)

It’s so hot out here.  My back hurts. Maybe I heard him wrong. My wife’s mad at me.  My friends are laughing at me behind my back. Why am I still working on this thing every day? 

Imagine the conversation going through Noah’s mind as he faithfully worked on building the ark. God had given Noah specific instructions on how to build it. Noah immediately obeyed. But over a hundred years passed before the floodwaters came on the earth. Noah probably looked foolish to a lot of people during that time.

Many years ago, I felt the Holy Spirit telling me to do something very specific.  It seemed just as crazy as Noah building that ark.  It made me look a little radical – like Noah. At times I felt like giving up, wondering if I had heard the Lord correctly.

Then I went through a devastating season.

Just like Noah, in one quick moment the entire landscape of my life completely changed.

God knew the flood was coming and he was preparing Noah. He also knew there was a catastrophe coming my way.  He was preparing me. I had no idea what I was building.  I just knew that I was being obedient to what the Lord told me to do.  All the while being criticized and ridiculed for my foolish faith.

If Noah had not been obedient during those years of looking foolish to others; he wouldn’t have had the provision of an ark to carry his family through the flood.

In the aftermath of my devastating season, I come to understand that all those years God was teaching me to build an ark of faith.  Teaching me to listen to His voice over family, friends.

Why was that so important?

When that season hit my life, I struggled. My feelings pulled me down into the current of devastation and hopelessness.

That season should have killed me.  But wisdom taught me I could trust Jesus.  And I kept holding on, one breath at a time. My ark of faith sustained me.

Once Noah’s family was on the ark, they probably felt relieved that he had listened to the wisdom of God. Noah had shown a reverent respect (fear) of God and chose to listen to His voice over man.  In doing so, God gave Noah great wisdom and insight.

Before the tsunami hit my life, I looked foolish also.

Proverbs 9:10 tells us “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.”

To gain wisdom we need to seek out the Lord’s will for our lives, above others.  Only God knows our future.

“Father help us to build a strong foundation in our lives that begins with fearing you and obeying your Word.”

For His Glory

Laura Holmes www.ephraimministries.org
TRBC Women’s Life