“So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood.” Genesis 7:7
In our Ladies’ Sunday School class, we have begun a journey through Scripture studying different women along the way. Our purpose is to gain a better understanding of who God is, increase our love for Him, and to gain valuable life applications (learning to apply God’s Word to our daily lives). Each woman we encounter gives us glimpses into the character of God. There are life applications rooted deep within each woman’s story…Those who loved the Lord and obeyed His commands as well as those who did not. As we mine our way through the pages of God’s Word, we are blessed with the opportunity to know God more. The more we know who God truly is, the more we desire Him. The more we desire Him, the more we seek Him. The more we seek Him, the more we are satisfied in Him – “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him” (John Piper).
My Friend, God is at work in each of us for the purpose of transforming us into the man/woman HE created us to be – A Man/Woman After His own Heart. Recently God has been using one Biblical woman in particular to teach me about faithfully obeying the Lord. This woman is Noah’s wife. Scripture does not give us any background information about Noah’s wife, nor does it record her name, personal information, or any words that she spoke but Scripture does record two facts about her – she got on the ark (see Gen. 7:7, 13) and she got off the ark (see Genesis 8:15, 18)!
We do not know what Noah’s wife was doing or saying during this time. All we know is that she did get on and off the ark in response to God’s command. Each of us have our own personal “arks”. In each of our lives, there are times when God gives us commands that do not make sense to our limited, human minds. We may find ourselves struggling with obedience. Perhaps we question the Lord or we try to rationalize a “better” way to approach a situation. We begin to allow “fear of man” (placing a higher value on what others think or say about us than seeking our satisfaction in God alone) to guide our thoughts, actions, and decisions. Noah’s wife was asked to board an ark that would take her away from her home and all that she was familiar with. Her life would never be the same once she stepped onto the ark. The Lord God would close the door behind her and her family, send flood waters to cover the entire earth, and destroy all mankind except for those on board. God had been using the past 120 years to bring them to this very moment…The doors were open, would they follow Him onto the ark?
Life Application Questions:
Sometimes God changes our lives dramatically…Do you see God’s faithfulness in every circumstance of your life? Do you seek Him daily in the midst of the chaos and changes or do you allow yourself to become overwhelmed, fearful, and depressed?
I love the picture of Noah’s wife obediently following her husband onto the ark. She had no idea what it would be like to live on the ark. She had no idea what it would be like in the midst of the storm. She had no idea what life would be like “on the other side of the storm.” Yet, she trusted the Lord and her husband and faithfully obeyed. Life before the ark was not Mrs. Noah’s permanent home! Life after the ark was not her permanent home either. Her permanent home is where she is spending eternity. Scripture does not tell us about Noah’s wife’s spiritual condition so we will not make any assumptions here. What we can do is ask ourselves, “Where is our home?”
My Friend, are we seeking to set up residence here and try to fit in, succeed, take root, and remain or do we understand that this is just a temporary dwelling for us and we are here for a divine purpose? God has carved out this moment in history and placed each of us in it. We are called for a purpose…Are we obedient to His commands? What ark are you facing today? Are you willing to trust the Lord, board that ark, and ride the waves of His faithfulness? If we will follow Him, we will never regret it! God is faithful! God is trustworthy! God’s plans for us are designed to grow us in Him and to point others to Him. Do you trust the Lord God completely with every aspect of your life? “Hold me up, and I shall be safe, And I shall observe Your statutes continually” (Psalm 119:117).
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