Building in Reverence

By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11:7

Imagine Noah responding to God’s request to build an ark. No rain had ever fallen…no ocean nearby—and there he is building this huge boat. It was about 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet high. All his neighbors were laughing at him…and it took years to build this boat, even with the help of his three sons.

Yet, Noah reverently followed God’s orders and built a boat that was strong enough to endure at least one hundred and fifty days (Genesis 7:24) of the flood. Out of respect for God, Noah did what he was told. Do we have that much reverence and respect for God— to listen for the still small voice of the Lord and do what He tells us to do? What about the other people, who were living evil lives during Noah’s time? Could they hide their evil deeds from God?

Training Tip – Next time you see a brown moth, catch it and put it in a jar of dead leaves. Use this as an illustration on hiding. Ask your kids if they have tried to hide from the Lord. Maybe they took a cookie before supper without asking? The people during Noah’s time couldn’t hide their bad actions and they were so bad that God decided to destroy them. Just like the moth is camouflaged and hiding—people sometimes like to hide from God, but that is impossible. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:13… And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Hebrews 4:13. In addition God asks in Jeremiah 23:23-24…Am I a God who is near, declares the LORD, and not a God far off? Can a man hide himself in hiding places so I do not see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? declares the LORD. How far is God from you?  Since God never changes…how far are you from God?

Lord God, I humbly come before You, confessing that I have tried at times to hide from You. But that is impossible—You see everything. Help me to live a life pleasing to You—so I don’t ever feel the need to hide. Guide my children and grandchildren, too, that they would live lives that bring You glory and honor.

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.