December 10, 2004

• “I should’ve done it exactly as you told me,” was my lament to Randy this morning.

  
  

  Randy is my cubiclemate at the Ten40Connect office.  This morning we were discussing the art of making your tea leaves drop to the bottom of the cup.  It’s quite a science, let me tell you.  Randy had just finished telling me the secret, but I still didn’t do it completely the way he told me to.  The result?  Tea leaves still floating at the top.

  
  

  This reminded me of my Bible reading of the morning.  Twice it says in Genesis, “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”  It made me think this morning, Imagine if he didn’t!  Imagine if he was reluctant, half-hearted or haphazard about building the ark exactly as God had commanded.  After all, the building of the entire ark was out of faith.  I mean, many Bible scholars have remarked that up to that point, it had never rained before.  Noah had never experienced torrential downpour or even lived near a huge body of water, how could he fathom what a flood would be?  So he built a boat out of faith.

  
  

  Can you imagine the mockery?  You can’t really hide a big ark.  I can imagine people asking, “What’s it for?”  “Oh, God’s gonna send a big flood to wipe out mankind.”  I can hear the laughter and jeers.  So Noah had every reason to doubt, to hesitate, and to grumble.  And I know that when I’m doubtful and grumbling, I lack excellence in what I’m doing.  I’m less careful and precise, because I think, “There’s no point.  It doesn’t make a difference.”

  
  

  Imagine if Noah had doubts!  The ark would’ve went under.  It really makes me think twice about not obeying God with excellence.  I need to do everything just exactly as God commands.  “Work at it with all my heart” (Col 3:23).   

  
  

  So what was Noah’s secret to careful obedience, anyway?  Simple.  Gen 6:9,  “…he walked with God.”  No wonder he had no doubts.  You can’t doubt the one you’ve been walking beside all along.

  • 4:31 pm
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