TIME TO BUILD AN ARK

As I look at cloudy skies and a forecast for more rain, I thought about Noah. Today I am repeating a blog from April 4, 2008.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 6:22

Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

TIME TO BUILD AN ARK

In this part of Indiana, we are having our share of rain. We now have water standing on water. And it is raining again. I wonder if it is time to build another ark.

All of this rain got me to thinking about Noah – Now things were not going too great on earth. Wickedness. Evil. All sorts of bad stuff. So God was ready to wipe out everything.

Genesis 6:7-8 says, “So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe out mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air – for I am grieved that I have made them.’ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

“Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” What about in the eyes of others? Can you hear it? I imagine it went something like this --

Mrs. Noah probably said, “You’re going to build what?”

And I am sure he heard from his neighbors. “Noah, what are you doing? If you keep this up, the property values will go down.”

Noah’s son Ham was in for some teasing also. “Ham, your daddy doesn’t have both oars in the water.” And Ham would have come back with, under his breath of course, “Maybe not now, but you wait and see who floats and who doesn’t.”

Then there was the trip to the local hardware. When Noah told the owner what he wanted, the owner would have wondered if he heard the order correctly – “You want how much cypress wood? You need how much pitch? I will have to order that in." Rubbing his hands together and, with a wicked grin, he most likely asked, "Will you be paying now or later?”

Think of the strength of character Noah needed to stand up to the looks. To the questions. To the laughing. And yet verse 22 tells us, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”

Noah had courage. He listened to God and had the courage to do just what God commanded. We can learn from Noah. We can have courage.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

In a Bible Study, the author pointed out that when Noah shut the door, he would have been leaving family, friends and neighbors to drown. They would have been pounding on the boat. They would have been calling to Noah. Think of the courage it took to "do as God commanded."

Has God ever asked you to do something that made you choose His will over family, friends or neighbors? Have you ever taken a stand and then been laughed at or criticized? Have you ever taken a stand and then wished you had not, because the pressure was so great? Have you ever just walked away and then felt ashamed that you were not strong enough? (Remember, God will never ask us to do more than we are capable of doing. And He will give us the strength we need. We just have to trust Him.)

Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.

LET US PRAY

Dear Glorious God, I am so thankful that you found Noah worthy. And that he listened to your commands. Let me learn from Noah. Let me first listen and find my strength in you. Then let me do everything you command. I do thank you for being patient with me when I am weak. When I do not listen. I ask for courage when I feel you leading me. …… Amen

OFF TO THE OTHER SHORE

TODAYS SCRIPTURES: MARK

3:9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him to keep the people from crowding him.

4:36 Leaving the crowd behind

5:21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.

6:32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.

6:46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray

OFF TO THE OTHER SHORE

These scriptures came to mind and I wondered why Jesus kept taking off for the other shore. The other side of the lake. Why would he want to leave the crowd behind? Didn't he want the people around him? Then I pictured the people getting closer and closer. All wanting to hear exactly what he was saying. Some wanting to touch him so they would be healed. Can you picture him, at the edge of the water, with the crowd pushing and pushing? They would take a step forward and Jesus would take a step back. Then into the boat he would go. Off to the other side. Off to another shore.

The only problem with that is the people on the other side of the lake were waiting for him. What was he to do?

That is when the light bulb went off and I realized that often I feel that way. Crowded and pushed. Too much work. Too many other things I want to do. Too many books waiting to be read. Too much dust waiting to be scattered to another landing spot and laundry to do. Too many people needing my time and energy.

Have you ever felt that way? Pushed? Crowded? Surrounded? Where to go? Where to go?

Well, get in the boat with Jesus. He is right there waiting to give you a ride to the other side. Yes, the bills are there too. And the job. And all the people and things that demand your time and energy. But you will be ready to face them because you have rested your body and mainly your Spirit as you rode in the boat with Jesus. Just that short ride gives you the strength to go on!

While I was pondering this, I also thought about Jesus, those crowds and his solitary time.

"Jesus," I would ask, "did you ever get bruised or scratched as people crowded and pushed just to touch you? You were human, did you ever get scared when they crowded you to the edge of the water?"

"Jesus," I would ask, "how did you feel when you went away to a solitary place? Did your body sigh with relief and relaxation? And what did you and your Father talk about?"

I think Jesus might have said something like this: "Hi Father. This has been some day. I need rest so thank you for the shade of this tree and the breeze. Did you see the crowd? I pray they heard with their hearts. I pray they believe tomorrow. What? Yes the disciples are coming along. They're out on the boat and I'll go there shortly. I think I'll just walk out. Yes. That will give them a shock, but I like to shake them up. So how far do you suppose Peter will walk? He will do okay until he takes his eyes off of me. Then down he'll go. How long will it take them to learn? Really? That long. Better go. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't get away for our talks. Later. I mean, Amen."

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Do you ever feel pushed? Crowded? Surrounded? Where do you go when you feel like this?

LET US PRAY (Please use this as a beginning of your prayer. Finish in your own words, words from your heart.)

O Lord, you do not intend for me to always feel pushed. Crowded. Surrounded by pressure. Send a boat so I can spend time with you and receive comfort and renewal for my body and soul. Amen

PRAYER - A NEED? A PRIVILEGE? A DUTY?

TODAYS SCRIPTURES:

Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:26

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

PRAYER - A NEED? A PRIVILEGE? A DUTY?

The other day I heard an interesting message on prayer and it got me to thinking: Is prayer a need? Is prayer a privilege? Is prayer a duty?

Do we need to pray? The Bible says God knows what is in our hearts and he knows what we require before we even tell him. So, why pray if it is not essential for God to understand our would likes and our must haves? The question, "Do we need to pray?" is answered by no and yes.

Does God need us to pray so he will know what we require? No. Do we need to pray? Yes! We need to know that God is quite clear on what we would like and what we must have! Just kidding! We need to pray so the Spirit himself will intercede when we just do not have the words or the energy to express our true needs. And God, who searches our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit and they work together in the harmony of God's will. (Based on Romans 8:26-27) Prayer is a need!

Is prayer a privilege? This question can also be answered yes and no. If you consider a privilege something that only a few of the elite are entitled to, then the answer is no. But if you consider a privilege something that is a benefit, an opportunity, an honor or a pleasure, then the answer is yes! What other faith is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? (Based on Deuteronomy 4:7) Prayer is a privilege!

Is prayer a duty? This question has only one answer: YES! Prayer is something we have to do. It is a responsibility. An obligation. Why?

Prayer is a duty because Jesus prayed and we, who with uncovered faces reflect the Lord's glory, are constantly being changed into his likeness. (Based on 2 Corinthians 3:18) It is our duty to live in such a way as we reflect the likeness of Jesus. Jesus prayed. We must pray. Prayer is a duty!

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:

Do you have trouble praying? Trouble finding the right words? Use your own words or find scripture passages that you really like and make them personal. Use I, me and my. But remember, no matter how you say it, God loves to hear you pray. Today, with no help from me, say your own prayer. God is listening!!! He will hear you!!!

CHANGE OF IDENTITY

As I look back, I realize my identity has changed over the years. I have gone from a young thing to a getting-closer-to-65. My identity has gone from daughter, to wife, to mother, to grandma. I have been a resident of Indiana, a resident of Michigan and back to a resident of Indiana. I have been a student, a car hop and an accountant's secretary. I am still my husband's right hand in our office and I am an auction cashier.

My identity is getting ready to change. As I write this, I am still an auction cashier. That, after 32+ years, will change May 21 when I work my last auction. This was not an easy decision to make. I have met some extremely wonderful people and, yes, a few that tested my patience and caused my temper to flare. I have enjoyed the challenge of the auction and, yes, suffered frustration when we would occasionally not balance. I have traveled to work auctions all over Indiana and into Michigan and Ohio. There are people I will miss. I will miss those that I have worked beside for all of these years, but it is time.

Just so you do not think cashiering is a piece of cake, I want you to know that I will not miss working out of very breezy barns and freezing my backside and I will not miss 90 degree summer days when there is no breeze and the sweat is dripping down the back of my neck. I will not miss driving in fog, snow, rain or sleet. I will not miss needing to have a nature break and there being a line at the port-a-pot. I will not miss the port-a-pot!!!!!!!

The bottom line is that by late afternoon, on May 21, my life will change. Again!

But our lives change from moment to moment. No two days are the same and not one of us is exactly like we were yesterday. We change with the activities in our own lives and we change as we interact with family, friends and strangers. We change as the world changes. Everyone's identity changes. Oh, wait!

TODAYS SCRIPTURES

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. Psalm 145:13

I the Lord do not change. Malachi 3:6

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:13

CHANGE OF IDENTITY

My identity will continue to change. Your identity will change. The only thing we can be sure of is that God - the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - never changes. God is the Beginning and God will be the End. God is the Alpha and the Omega.

LET US PRAY (I have put in things that touch each of us at one time or another, but use this only as a guide. Use the changes in your life to make it personal.)

What do I do Lord? I think I have it all figured out. Life seems to be going good and then everything changes. There are disagreements within my family and friends just seem to disappear when I need them. Things pop up at work I hadn't expected and then I am flustered and on edge. Supper doesn't get done on time and the washer springs a leak. Is there ever a normal day? Why do things continually change? How do I survive in an ever changing life?

How do I survive? I turn to You. Thank you for not changing. Thank you for being the same God from morning to morning. Thank you for being with me in all of my yesterdays. Thank you for being with me today and I know you will be in my tomorrow. When everything around me changes, I know I can turn to you. When everything around me changes, I know you will always be faithful. Amen