Lessons From the Flood: "Exactly"

I mentioned several days ago that I received a One Year Chronological Bible for Christmas. I must be honest with you, although I was very excited to receive this Bible, I was a little less than excited about starting in the very beginning stories. I was afraid the familiarity of the reading would become boring and I feared I would grow weary of it and quit. That has not been the case at all. Before I began reading, I asked God to show me new things in these stories and He has - the pages have seemed to come alive. There are no words to explain how important it is to read His Word and learn from His truth, and I desperately long for each of you to open His Book and go on the adventure with Him.

As I read the familiar story of the Great Flood in Genesis 6-9, there were a couple of things that spoke to my heart that I had never noticed before
and I will tell you about them over the next couple of days, I hope you enjoy these little gems as much as I did. As the story begins in chapter 6, the people were living as they wanted and their actions were evil in the eyes of God (the only eyes that really matter, by the way), and God had had enough! (I say that to MY kids all the time!) He decided to just wipe the slate clean and start over with Noah and his family, because Noah had found favor with Him.

How did Noah find favor with God? In case you were wondering, for your own personal benefit, Noah walked in close fellowship with God, that's how. (v.9) I walk in fellowship with God sometimes, but I can’t say that close fellowship always describe me, I wish it did. Because of that fellowship, God let Noah in on His plans and gave Noah a job to do.

Here’s where Noah and I differ, verse 22 –

So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.

Exactly as God commanded him.

Exactly.

Not sort of like.

Exactly.

Then after Noah finished building the boat, in chapter 7, God gave him more instructions which were followed up with verse 5 –

So Noah did everything as the Lord commanded him.

Hmm.

Everything.

Not some of it, everything.

Then the rain began and Noah was still doing as he was told, verse 16 –

A male and female of each kind entered, just as God had commanded Noah...

We’ll finish this verse in just a second – so hold that thought!

I can’t tell you the number of times I have sensed God’s prompting to do something and many times, I just don’t do it. Sometimes, I listen and proceed with the idea, but do it “my way” and don’t walk closely enough through it with Him to know the details of exactly how He wants it done. The end product, however, doesn’t turn out at all like He planned. It turns out like I planned or worse. Noah didn’t climb aboard the ark singing “I did it myyyyyy wayyyyy….” in his best Frank Sinatra voice, he did it God’s way and everything worked out as God had planned. The last part of that verse says….

Then the Lord closed the door behind them.

The instructions were followed to a “T” and God took care of safely and securing them inside the ark, in the place they were supposed to be. He will do the same for you and for me. When we follow His instruction, we will be in just the place He intended for us and He will be sure to close the door behind us keeping us secure.

Please forgive me for doing it “my way” so often. God, I don’t know why I can’t just wait upon You and let You lead. I feel You prompting something and I take action myself without getting the details from You. It’s as if I run off with You mid-sentence and I’m sorry. I am also sorry for the times I know You have spoken to me and I have ignored You. I’m certain I have missed out on so much in my adventure with You because of that. This may seem silly, but whenever I run off while You are still instructing me, Holy Spirit, bring that song “I Did It My Way” to my mind so that I will stop in my tracks and listen. I guess it can be our little inside joke for this year, God. Thank You, Father for loving your creatures enough to give us a second chance.




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