A few months ago, I was reading through Genesis and I got to the story about Noah and the ark. It's a very well known story, whether or not you believe it to be factual. God tells Noah in chapter 6 that he is to build an ark because God was going to flood the earth. Not only does he tell him to build an ark, he tells him every measurement to use, what and who to take with him, and gives him a time frame. I remember feeling incredibly jealous reading through this then, and I still honestly do. I want these sort of instructions from God. I want him to just tell me, "Brittney, this is exactly what I want you to do ______," and that be it. My calling set right before me.
There is so much more to the story than this though...
Noah was living in a time when the whole earth was filled completely with evil (not much has changed, eh?). But Noah found favor in God's eyes. This favor brings both an overwhelming gratefulness and also a fear. Noah was a faithful servant of his Father. In a world that was overtaken with sinful behavior, Noah kept his eyes on the One, his Creator (not an easy accomplishment, to say the least). He knew the difference between wise and unwise choices, eternal and temporary choices. He believed God, thus he found himself in God's favor. Noah's faith is so inspiring. God said there's going to be rain, which had never been heard of to this point, and that He wants Noah to spend a huge part of his life building a massive boat, and Noah basically says... "Okay, whatever You say."
So here I am, insanely jealous that I don't have these detailed instructions for what God is calling me to do right now with my life, with my forever, but now my question is, have I even been listening for it? Am I really even ready to hear it? Would I have the willing and faithful heart that Noah himself had? I'm not so sure. With God's favor comes severe consequences from the world. I can't fathom the years upon years that Noah and his family had to endure persecution from those with faithless hearts. Noah found favor with God with his enduring faith. The belief that God was going to come through for him and that even if what he was doing seemed absolutely insane to the world, he was living for something huge, and he was being faithful to his Father. Do I have this kind of unfaltering faith?
What's even more frustrating is that I feel pulled into different directions. The desires of my heart are conflicting with one another. So, I'm having to sit here and be patient and wait for God to fully reveal what he wants to do with me. Not only that, but I have to continuously work on keeping my heart open to his will, to develop a faithful, doubtless heart. I want a heart that's after God and His will for me, because I know, I believe that it will be better than anything I have planned for myself. Thus, when God speaks to my heart, I'll have the heart of Noah, the heart that says, "Okay God, whatever You say."
The ark is so much more than just a big boat. It's an illustration of such an inspiring faith, the faith of a man who found favor in God's eyes and followed with a willing and undoubtful heart.
What is God calling me do to? Where is my "ark"?
