Safe In the ARK

Noah, after he was in the ark of safety, the ark's door shut by God Himself, could do nothing but wait with his family through the biggest storm of the world and for the for waters to recede.

This picture of Noah and family floating makes me think of our position today with others and with Christ.

Like Noah, Christians have entered into the ark of safety – that is Jesus Christ. Prior to coming into the ark, we did not know Christ. A wall (sin) separated us from God. Some of us lived good lives, others lived "riotous/wonton" (Bible talk for wild, crazy, unrestrained, and totally self absorbed) lives.

But when we entered into the ark, the wall came down, sins were forgiven, and God shut the door for us to be in a place of safety, sealing us with the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Even though we are in the ark of safety now, rains fall around us daily – we float atop of issues, assaults, insults, persecutions, our own temptations, and false doctrine which try and tear at our bowls so to sink us.

However, grace keeping us afloat; God who shut us in the ark of safety will not let us sink.

Meanwhile we rest in Jesus, we sit and wait, each taking care of day-to-day activities. Surely Noah had a lot to do in overseeing the day-to-day activities on the ark:

• ensuring all those animals stored on the boat were fed,
• ensuring they were cleaned,
• the stalls washed out, and
• assuring his family continually that God is faithful, and for them to trust in Him because He would return for them one day.

We too have day-to-day activities to tend to while walking out our faith:

• share our faith with others (Noah must have shared the story of God speaking to him about the ark with his wife and children),
• anticipate the blessed appearance of our Lord (Noah sent the birds in anticipation of land),
• wait patiently for our Lord's return (patiently Noah sat in a boat floating, floating, floating, waiting, not knowing the day or the hour), and
• dealing with day-to-day issues that life has a way of throwing our way.
  
  
  We eagerly await the day when God will open the door of heaven for us and usher us in to His eternal kingdom. I am sure once we arrive there, the magnificence of our surroundings will far surpass that of the rainbow that Noah was shown.
  
  Lord help us to be still in you, be close to you, be patent in you, be content in you, be active in you – until the day of the Great Promise arrives.