Bible Devotion - 6/28/2021

June 28th, 2021

The Ark's Window of Faith

Up front I want to say I’m sorry about taking last week off from writing our weekly devotion. Moving forward I will try to avoid that scenario as much as possible. With that said, for the next few weeks, I want us to look through several Bible windows. There are several "windows" found in the Bible and as we look through these windows there are lessons to be gleaned that address many areas and needs of our life.

The first window that I want to bring to your attention is the "window" of Noah's ark. As we look at the story of Noah and his ark, we can draw many spiritual lessons for us to strengthen us in our daily lives.

The purpose of the ark was to provide a place a shelter, safety, and security for Noah and his family from the flood that destroyed all mankind. We read in Genesis 7:7,

"And Noah went in, and his sons, and his wife, and his son's wives with him, into the ark, because of the waters of the flood."

I’m well aware that the storm was an act of God's judgment upon the sinfulness of the society of Noah's day, but none-the-less, Noah found himself in the storm. Spared, yes! Safe, yes! Secure, yes! But none-the-less, Noah was in the storm. And because I’m sure that some of you who are reading this are going through a “storm” right now in your life I want us to look at our storms through the window of the ark.

Here are what I believe to be some helpful things to consider as we look through this window.
1. IF WE LOOK OUT IT CAN SHAKE OUR FAITH!

In Genesis 7:17-20 we see that this was a storm of gigantic proportions and one of unprecedented measure. This storm lasted for 40 long days; however Noah and his family were in the Ark over a year before he could leave.

Our storms can last a few days or last for several months, and even in some cases reach into years. This tells me that our storms can be very extensive and severe.

In the case of Noah, I am sure that he faced the storm with calm and confidence, but that is not always the case with us. We often look out at our storms with no hope or a feeling of helplessness.

So, the lesson is not to look OUT at our storms. So what are the other options?

2. IF WE LOOK IN IT CAN SETTLE OUR FAITH!

Looking in we take our eyes of the storm and see the Lord. Discouragement comes if we look out, but encouragement comes when we look at the Lord.

We tend to only see what we are going through, our problems, our trials, and our storms. We only see the wind and waves and rising water. Yet, when we look to the Lord, we see "One" that is the architect of the storm as well as our Loving Father.

Now understand, Noah was not spared from going through the storm, but he was kept safe in the midst of the storm. The Lord may not stop the storms from coming in our life. Sometimes, He will keep us in the storm.

We read in Genesis 6:14 that the ark was to be pitched within and without. The word "pitch" literally means, "to coat or cover." The word describes a substance that was used for waterproofing sailing vessels.

It was a substance almost like tar or asphalt that was used to caulk seams to make the vessel waterproof and watertight.

Again, it didn’t matter how hard or how long it rained. Noah was safe on the inside. He was inside God's refuge from the storm. As believers, God may not prevent the storm or keep us from going through a storm, but He will keep us in the storm. As the song writer said:

Be not dismayed what e'er betide, God will take care of you; Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you. Thru days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you; When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you.

One of the most blessed thoughts of this horrific story of the devastation that came upon all mankind is found in Gen. 7:1. "And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark." Notice carefully that God did not say, "Go thou into the ark." He said, "Come thou into the ark."

"Come thou" indicates that God was already inside the ark. God was inside the ark asking Noah and his family to come in the ark with Him. Yes, Noah found himself in a storm, but he was not alone. The Lord was with him in the ark during the storm.

I would like to remind you that when you go through the storm, the Lord will be with you. We have His great promise that He will never leave us nor forsake us. I love Isaiah 41:10,

"Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

God is always present. He is always with us, and you can be sure that He will be with us in our storms. Notice Genesis 8:15-16. The storm is now over and the time has come for Noah and his family to leave the ark. We read, "And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy son's wives with thee."

Notice that God did not say, "Come out," but "Go forth." He was still in the ark with Noah. He had been with Noah through the entire storm and He will be with you through your storm, and there will never be a moment when He will leave you.

The last “Look” we can take is to look up.

3. IF WE LOOK UP IT CAN STRENGTHEN OUR FAITH!

The final look that I want you to take is through the window of the ark. Notice once again Genesis 6:16, "A window shalt thou make to the ark, and in a cubit shalt thou finish it above."

There was only one window in the ark and it is a small one. The only way they could look out of the ark was through that window. I love what A.W. Pink says about this window:

"Noah and his companions were not to be looking down on the scene of destruction beneath and around them, but up toward the living God."

I have never forgotten a story I heard about a young lady that was going to the mission field. On the day that she was departing, just before she boarded the ship that would carry her to the place of God's call in her life, someone walked up to her and handed her an envelope and said, "If you ever get to the place where you have nowhere else to turn or no one else to turn to, open this envelope."

More than thirty years later, when back in the States, she was giving her testimony. As she did so, she reached into her Bible and pulled out the envelope that had been given to her more than 30 years before. It had never been opened.

She told the story of how it had been given to her with the words, "If you ever get to the place where you have nowhere else to turn or no one else to turn to, open this envelope."

She looked at the people before her and said, "There has never been a time when I had nowhere to turn or no one to turn to. My Lord has always been there."

As we look up toward our redeemer it has a way of promoting dependence up on Him as well as preventing us from being distracted by the storms around us.

The story is told that when Leonardo da Vinci finished his painting of the Lord's Supper, he invited a friend to view it. The friend was fascinated by a cup that was in the painting and seemed oblivious to everything else. Leonardo reached for his brush, dipped it into paint, and with one bold stroke, wiped out the cup. He then turned to his friend and said, "Look at the Master's face! Look at the Master's face!"

As the songwriter put it:

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full into His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace."

I pray this is a gentle reminder this week to keep your eyes firmly fixed upon our loving heavenly father. In doing so we will not be distracted from our call or
discouraged by our circumstance.

Bro. Jeff