Arks, trials and God's amazing promises

Noah Built an ark!

Have you ever imagined what an amazing and mammoth job building an ark (of all things) would have been in those days - even today the thought of building an ark would be monstrous.

Over the years a few people have replicated the ark to the dimensions given by God in Genesis and it is one huge undertaking even with today's technology.

A modern day ark built in Holland - huge eh!

Given what poor old Noah had to work with the entire job must have been nothing short of a miracle.

The size of the thing alone is mind boggling.

Up until that promise of God that He was going to destroy the earth it had never rained! - The firmament above and below the earth kept the temperature even all year round the earth and all creatures were, if you like, automatically watered by a perfect system created by God so...

Building an ark?? one huge boat thing away from any water - the people must have thought Noah and his sons completely 'off the planet'.

It is interesting to note that God didn't promise Noah an easy time of it - He didn't make the ark for him!

Noah had to line it inside and out with pitch!! Just spare a thought.

Inside and out! PITCH Yuk you can imagine what he looked like after months and months even years lining that barge with pitch on both sides - what faith did Noah have!

God didn't do the lining for him - He didn't make the job easy - God didn't stop the jibes from neighbours and the community - Noah still had all the usual, and I imagine, great health difficulties - God didn't ease the pain.

You know we are a bit like Noah - God doesn't promise us an easy ride through life.

When my Soul Mate and great love of my life - my wife Sue was diagnosed with cancer last year- we were devastated - but you know through that journey and the on-going journey that we are both on  - we know for sure that God is ever with us.

God has promised that he will never leave us. In Hebrews he says "I will never Leave you or forsake you" - through our journey we have claimed that promise time and again and we both can glorify God for his provision for us.

No matter what happens on our journey through life - we know that we can take shelter in God and cling onto His promises - We will always look to Heaven - we won't expect God to soften the blow.

Poor old Noah didn't have an easy time of it both physically and emotionally - he faced his trials with courage, determination and endurance.

When the moment of truth comes for you what will you do?

Will you give up and throw in the towel - life all too hard?

or...

Will you like Noah look beyond you immediate circumstances to what lies ahead and take courage to endure regardless of the personal cost to you?

God bless you and may He strengthen you with His grace and truth.