"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.”
“By faith Noah”... just that one small introductory statement should challenge us to pay close attention to how Noah approached the calling that God placed on his life. When God warned him about things that were going to come to pass, by faith, Noah responded in reverent obedience, and for the next several decades, labored away at building a ship that would become the salvation of his household, and through them, all of mankind.
This last month at our annual Leadership Summit, we had the opportunity to literally be immersed in a life-sized example of what reverent obedience to God’s calling can produce. The size of the boat itself is very impressive, but the size of Noah’s faith was equally impressive! ‘Being warned by God about things not yet seen’ … Noah had never seen rain … but he was a righteous man who knew God and knew the culture that he lived in. His heart was burdened by the same thing that burdened God’s heart … Noah saw how great “the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.”
Because Noah recognized the ‘times’, he believed God’s promise and “in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household.” Judgement was coming, God said it, Noah believed it, and he acted on it. Condemnation was coming and Noah wasn’t sure when, so with urgency he began working to build what God had called him to build.
Sound familiar? Look around and see how great the wickedness of the human race has become once again. God is preparing to condemn this wickedness once again, but not through a flood. The Day of the Lord is coming, and God Himself 'gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry.’ We are those saints, and the work of ministry is to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded us.
As we observe Pastor Appreciation month and focus our prayers on the Church, let us pray for reverent obedience for us all.