In a season where we are called to have faith over fear – it would be appropriate to examine the life of those in Gods Word, who in similar situations to the one we find ourselves in; a worldwide pandemic – exercised their faith in larger proportions to their fear.
Let’s have a look at the life of Noah:
Please read: Genesis 6 – 7
The story about the flood and Gods beautiful rainbow is one of my girls favourite stories. They like to call it the ‘rainbow’ story. The story of Noah is about faith that triumphs over fear, courage that triumphs over calamity, multiplication that triumphs over misfortune and fruitfulness that triumphs over the unfavourable. Noah was a man who was highly favoured by the Lord. Noah, walked with God in obedience and The Lord deemed him a righteous man. Noah remained faithful to the Lord, even though the flood waters subdued the earth.
Genesis 6:8-9 – ‘But Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord.’ Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.
We read that Noah was favoured in Gods eyes because He walked with the Lord. He trusted the Lord to save him and his family. He trusted the word of the Lord in the midst of the unknown and Noah was blessed because of his faithfulness. God deemed Noah a righteous man because He walked faithfully with him.
Jeremiah 17:7 – 8
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
In the face of fear, Noah chose to be faithful. Noah faced a tough situation. The world he knew would no longer exist. On top of that reality, God had commanded Noah to build an ark. In the midst of an already overwhelming situation, God gave Noah an overwhelming task. Noah was not a ship builder by trade, and he didnt have Google and YouTube at his fingertips. Yet he was obdeient to all that the Lord instructed him to do. This was Noah’s response to God:
Genesis 6:22 – And Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him.
Noah was obedient to God throughout the story of the flood. Though waters raged and flooded the earth, though storms clouds drowned out the sun and life ceased to exist – Noah was obedient and faithful. He didn’t allow fear to cripple him. He chose to rise up in faith and serve the God that He knew and had walked with.
Please read: Genesis 8-9
Once the floodgates of heaven closed and the waters began to recede, and the earth had dried up; God commands Noah to be fruitful and multiply. God sprinkled his purpose over what may have seemed like a disaster, and brought direction to an otherwise lifeless situation. And then, God spoke His promise over the earth and made his covenant with Noah.
Hebrews 11:7 – By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.
So, what can we learn from the life of Noah?
Grab a notebook and pen and right down your thoughts.
In the face of fear, how have you chosen to respond to God? Do you respond in faith and trust? Or do you lash out in fear and worry?
How have you chosen to respond to the fear that has gripped the world by the news and reality of the COVID-19 virus?
How have you or can you choose to stand in faith, like Noah did, and hold on to God during this uncertain time?
Do you choose to find your security in Christ in this time of uncertainty?
Let’s declare the name of Jesus over our situation right now. Let’s rather pray for the things that weigh us down. Let’s choose to respond in faith and not fear.
Let’s be a Noah to the world around us. Let’s hold on to the covenant making God that we read about in Genesis 9. His covenant, is His promise. Let’s hold on to the promises of God, even though the unknown is so overwhelming.
Genesis 9: 7 – As for you, be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.”
Romans 8:28 – And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Psalm 67
May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine on us
2 so that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
5 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.
6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
7 May God bless us still,
so that all the ends of the earth will fear him.