I’m a bad one to watch for “signs” from God. I do pray and ask for guidance. But like a child that goes rushing out the door before he gets his jacket on – or, it’s playoff season, like a football player that jumps offsides – I often ask and then sit nervously, one knee jumping up and down, waiting for His answer so I can move! As soon as I see any activity remotely associated with my issue, I leap up and charge forward. Waiting is not a concept that works well for me.
Noah followed God’s instructions to the letter, and they were not easy ones! Having loaded his family and all the animals and the food for them all onto the ark, Noah waited through the rain. (I must say, if I have to wait, I do love doing it in the rain – just not that much.) Let’s look at the timeline. The rains began in the 600th year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the 17th day (Genesis 7:11). It rained for forty days. But that's not the end of the water! Verse 24, “And the waters prevailed on the earth one hundred and fifty days.” And the waters began to recede and the ark rested on Ararat.
On the first day of the 10th month, the tops of the mountains became visible (8:5). Noah waited… Forty days later, he sent out the raven. Seven days later, he sent out the dove. There was still no resting place. And at this point, I’m doing pretty well with understanding the waiting. What else was Noah going to do? A week later, he sent the dove out and it returned with an olive leaf in its beak. So Noah knew that the waters had pretty well receded. (It’s at this point that I’m beginning to get a little antsy to move.)
The next week he sent out the dove and it did not return. So he knew there was dry land. And yet, he waited! For another whole month, he waited. Finally in the 601st year of his life, on the first day of the first month, he removed the covering of the ark and looked and the surface of the ground was dry. It’s at this point, I’m pulling on my flipflops and running down the gangplank shouting for joy. I have had my fill of rain!
But Noah still waits. He doesn’t move until the 27th day of the second month (8:14)! What on earth? Had he developed some crazy, strange attachment to the ark? Why did he wait so long? Verse 15, “THEN God spoke to Noah….” He waited until he heard from the Lord before he moved.
If I pray, why not believe all the way and just let God handle the situation on His own, in His way? He doesn’t need my help. How many times have I just gotten in the way or muddled the issue? If I wait, He will answer. If I ask, He will let me know when to move.
Psalm 38:15; 33:18-22
I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God…But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine. We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
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