Scripture constantly amazes me.
No matter how many times I read or hear an account from the Bible, I still pick up on things that I had not picked up on before.
This is true even of the most familiar accounts. Even those I first learned as a child.
One that fits this category is the account of Noah and the ark.
One of the earliest picture books I was given as a child was about Noah and the ark
My mother related the account of Noah and the ark to me many times while I was still too young to read.
I even had a toy ark to play with complete with a tiny Noah and little pairs of animals.
Recently, I found myself thinking about this portion of scripture.
My thoughts were not centered on Noah and his family.
I found myself thinking about the rest of humanity.
I thought about those outside the ark who were not spared the global devastation.
It stands to reason that some saw the gigantic ark under construction as Noah built it to the exact specifications as revealed to him by God.
There must have been talk about Noah.
I imagine that many must have thought that Noah had taken leave of his senses.
Yet Noah continued to build.
Once the ark had been completed, Noah gathered the animals specified by God that would repopulate the earth.
I imagine that by this time more than a few became concerned.
Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives entered the ark along with all the animals.
Then, then the rain began to fall.
By this time, I imagine that even more became concerned.
The rains continued to fall and the waters began to rise.
At this point, I imagine that almost everyone outside the ark was concerned.
As the waters continued to rise with no sign of letting up, concern must surely have turned to panic.
As their panic increased, I imagine that many began to plead frantically.
I wondered what impact this might have had on Noah and his family.
About the time I pondered this, I attended a devotional presented by my very good friend Randy.
As I listened to him read this account from scripture, I picked up on something I had never truly never picked up on before.
Genesis 7:16 (NET) - Those that entered were male and female, just as God commanded him. Then the LORD shut him in.
That last sentence shed new light on my thoughts.
"Then the LORD shut him in."
Noah did not seal himself in.
Noah and his family were sealed off from the world outside by none other than the Lord Himself.
Even if Noah had heard their cries and taken pity on them, there would have been absolutely nothing he could do for them.
This bears a remarkable parallel to the Christian walk and outreach of today.
Ephesians 1:13 (NET) - And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) - when you believed in Christ - you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.
This seal is a mark ownership.
Those that have heard the truth and accepted Christ as their savior have this mark of ownership.
They have been set apart just as those aboard the ark were set apart by the Lord.
The crucial difference is that we have been commissioned to share the Good News with others.
Some will listen and they too will be set apart.
Others, perhaps like those that may have watched Noah build the ark, will conclude that we have taken leave of our senses.
But, as long as they draw breath there is hope.
That is why we must continue to reach out to them.
It must have taken Noah and his sons a long time to build the ark.
They faithfully continued to build until the ark was finished.
In the same way, we must continue our outreach throughout our lifetime until our work is finished.
With help from the Trinity, we can help others get on board and so that they too may be set apart.
One day, the door that leads salvation will be forever sealed.
As each day passes, we should experience a new and heightened sense of urgency.
As each day passes, there is one less day for us to reach out.
As each day passes, there is one less day for others to respond to His call.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
No matter how many times I read or hear an account from the Bible, I still pick up on things that I had not picked up on before.
This is true even of the most familiar accounts. Even those I first learned as a child.
One that fits this category is the account of Noah and the ark.
One of the earliest picture books I was given as a child was about Noah and the ark
My mother related the account of Noah and the ark to me many times while I was still too young to read.
I even had a toy ark to play with complete with a tiny Noah and little pairs of animals.
Recently, I found myself thinking about this portion of scripture.
My thoughts were not centered on Noah and his family.
I found myself thinking about the rest of humanity.
I thought about those outside the ark who were not spared the global devastation.
It stands to reason that some saw the gigantic ark under construction as Noah built it to the exact specifications as revealed to him by God.
There must have been talk about Noah.
I imagine that many must have thought that Noah had taken leave of his senses.
Yet Noah continued to build.
Once the ark had been completed, Noah gathered the animals specified by God that would repopulate the earth.
I imagine that by this time more than a few became concerned.
Noah, his wife, his sons and their wives entered the ark along with all the animals.
Then, then the rain began to fall.
By this time, I imagine that even more became concerned.
The rains continued to fall and the waters began to rise.
At this point, I imagine that almost everyone outside the ark was concerned.
As the waters continued to rise with no sign of letting up, concern must surely have turned to panic.
As their panic increased, I imagine that many began to plead frantically.
I wondered what impact this might have had on Noah and his family.
About the time I pondered this, I attended a devotional presented by my very good friend Randy.
As I listened to him read this account from scripture, I picked up on something I had never truly never picked up on before.
Genesis 7:16 (NET) - Those that entered were male and female, just as God commanded him. Then the LORD shut him in.
That last sentence shed new light on my thoughts.
"Then the LORD shut him in."
Noah did not seal himself in.
Noah and his family were sealed off from the world outside by none other than the Lord Himself.
Even if Noah had heard their cries and taken pity on them, there would have been absolutely nothing he could do for them.
This bears a remarkable parallel to the Christian walk and outreach of today.
Ephesians 1:13 (NET) - And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) - when you believed in Christ - you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.
This seal is a mark ownership.
Those that have heard the truth and accepted Christ as their savior have this mark of ownership.
They have been set apart just as those aboard the ark were set apart by the Lord.
The crucial difference is that we have been commissioned to share the Good News with others.
Some will listen and they too will be set apart.
Others, perhaps like those that may have watched Noah build the ark, will conclude that we have taken leave of our senses.
But, as long as they draw breath there is hope.
That is why we must continue to reach out to them.
It must have taken Noah and his sons a long time to build the ark.
They faithfully continued to build until the ark was finished.
In the same way, we must continue our outreach throughout our lifetime until our work is finished.
With help from the Trinity, we can help others get on board and so that they too may be set apart.
One day, the door that leads salvation will be forever sealed.
As each day passes, we should experience a new and heightened sense of urgency.
As each day passes, there is one less day for us to reach out.
As each day passes, there is one less day for others to respond to His call.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
http://otherbrotherjim.blogspot.com
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