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“Then God spoke to Noah, saying, “Go out of the ark you and your wife and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.”  Genesis 8:15-16 ((NKJV)

Tight spaces are definitely not my fave; I love wide open spaces with plenty of room to move and breathe. Probably one of the reasons I so enjoy being outdoors.  Confinement just doesn’t suit me, and when I say those words my mind automatically tracks back to early Covid months when living within the confines of our homes was where we landed.  Going to work meant settling into my home office which was only feet away from my living room and kitchen.  Ending my day equaled simply exchanging one space for another. Don’t know about you, but I am so thankful we are no longer in that lane.

Confinement reminds me of Noah and his family riding out the flood when restraint took on a totally different narrative. Despite its enormous size (510’ long, 85’ wide and 51’ high), the ark housed a lot of stuff:  Noah, his wife, three sons, their wives, food and lots of animals.  Recent studies estimate the total land and flying animals that Noah and his family cared for to be 6,744 animals (Ark Encounter). And did I mention that they lived inside that ark for more than a year?

Don’t know about you, but I would have been so anxious to get out of that ark the very moment the rains stopped; however, the water prevailed on the earth for 150 days (Genesis 7:24).  Just because the rain stopped didn’t mean it was safe to leave the ark – the effects of the storm still surrounded them.  Takes a lot of discipline and patience to ride out a season of waiting.

Absolutely love Noah’s wisdom in sending out a raven and a dove to see if the waters had receded.  The second time he sent out the dove, the dove returned with an olive leaf in her mouth.  The third time the dove didn’t return anymore so Noah removed the covering of the ark and saw the ground was dry.  Just keeping it real here – this is definitely when I would have abandoned ship.  All evidence indicated it was safe to leave. I just have to wonder if Noah had a deep longing to touch that ground and run totally free from the confines of the ark. If he did, Noah chose instead to wait…to patiently wait until God told him to go out of the ark.

Too many times, we probably find ourselves resisting wait and running full speed ahead instead of following God’s timetable.  Even when it appears we are safe, equipped and ready to move forward, we would be wise to follow Noah’s example and wait for God’s instruction.

We can glean lots of lessons from Noah’s deep faith demonstrated in obeying the voice of God to build an ark when rain had never touched the earth.  What strength and resilience it must have taken for Noah who was over 500 years of age to embark on building this “big boat.”  What divine organization to gather the animals and stock the ark with food.  What a glorious surrender to trust God’s plan even if he didn’t understand it. What incredible restraint to remain, stay and resist leaving the ark until God said, “Go out of the ark.”  Noah, a man seen and described by God as righteous before his generation.  Sweet friends, may God see the same in us – godly women walking, living and speaking rightly before our God waiting for His daily instruction.

“Father, this world will offer us many distractions and attempts to pursue life on our terms.  Help us to lean in close to You and follow Your voice instead of our own.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life