How many steps did you walk today? When we first start counting steps, our count is relatively low. Yet, the more we walk, the stronger our muscles become enabling us to confidently walk farther.
How many times did you walk in faith today? Like physical walking, the more we walk in faith, the stronger it becomes, enabling us to confidently walk farther in faith.
Faith and physical walking are both actions that cause us to advance. I guess that’s why the scripture tells us to walk in faith.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
2 Corinthians 5:7
Many people in the Bible walked in faith. Take Noah for example, (Genesis chapters 6-8).
So, God said to Noah,
“I am going to put an end to all people,
for the earth is filled with violence because of them.
I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.
So, make yourself an ark.”
Genesis 6:13, 14a NIV
I NEED TO DO, WHAT?!!
Imagine Noah’s shock at hearing God’s plan. Much less the overwhelming request to build a huge ark to house Noah, his family and seven pairs of every male and female animal and bird on the earth! (Genesis 7:1-3).
Their survival was reliant on Noah’s faith and obedience!
WAS NOAH EQUIPPED FOR THE JOB?
We don’t know Noah’s skills or the strength of his faith. He may not have been equipped for the job at all, but God was.
God doesn’t always equip us before He asks us to do something. However, because God loves us, He promises that He will provide everything we need to do His work.
So sometimes like Noah, we have to walk in faith trusting that He will equip us even before we receive everything we need.
And God is able to bless you abundantly,
so that in all things at all times, having all that you need,
you will abound in every good work,
2 Corinthians 9:8
75- YEAR CHALLENGE!
Building Challenge-
Experts estimate it took seventy-five years for Noah to build the ark. After all, it was a huge 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high. That equates to 510’ long, 85’ wide and 50’ high.
Its size is comparable to
1 ½ football fields and the height of a four-story house.1
How did Noah build the ark with no machinery or hundreds of helpers? He had to walk physically and in faith every step of the way for 75- years.
Age Challenge-
Noah’s assignment would have started at the ripe old age of 500 plus years! 1 This just goes to show that we are never too old to be used by God.
Harassment Challenge –
With the world so full of evil and debauchery, do you think people ignored Noah and his building project? I imagine he and his family were subjected to daily taunts and harassment. They probably called Noah a crazy eccentric. Yet, while looking crazy or even being discouraged, Noah continued to walk in faith.
Each challenge would have strengthened Noah’s faith
as he acted to walk in faith.
7 DAYS!
Once the ark was built, the Lord gave Noah just 7 days to load all of the animals. It’s hard enough to corral domestic cats, but what if you had to corral lions, panthers and tigers?
Then there’s the sheer number of animals. Expert’s estimations range from 7,000-75,000 animals 2 that filled the equivalent of 450 standard semi- trailers.1
Yet, just as God always provides a way, He did with the animals. Noah didn’t have to search for them, corral them or identify males and females. God brought the animals to Noah, two by two.
Pairs of clean and unclean animals,
of birds and of all creatures that move along the ground, male and female,
came to Noah and entered the ark,
as God had commanded Noah,
Genesis 7:8-9 NIV
SOMETHING’S MISSING!
Now that they were packed up and, on their way, did Noah still need faith? Yes! Of all the components that God had Noah build for the ark, there was one thing missing.
There was no steering wheel!
How could Noah avoid bottoming out on Mt. Everest? Every single day Noah had to trust God to steer the ark.
DANGER?
Noah was couped up with poisonous snakes and tigers for a whole year! Did Noah worry about his safety? Did he wonder if the animals would devour one another, or him, before they could disembark?
Daily Noah and his family had to walk throughout the ark and feed even the dangerous animals. Each step was literally a walk of faith.
For by faith you stand,
2 Corinthians 1:24b
REMEMBER THE RAINBOW!
It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth,
that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud,
and I will remember My covenant
which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh;
the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh,
Genesis 9:14-15 NIV
We may not be tasked with building an ark, but no matter what our task, we can walk in faith confident that God loves us and is faithful to fulfill His promises.
FAITH IN GOD
GAVE NOAH VICTORY,
OURS DOES TOO!
For everyone born of God overcomes the world.
And the victory that has overcome the world is this
—our faith,
1 John 5:4 TLV
REFLECTION
What can you walk in faith to do?
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, as I write 2 Corinthians 5:7 and say it aloud, help me to walk in faith. Strengthen my faith as I do Your will trusting in Your promises to equip and sustain me. In Jesus name. Amen.
WALKING IN FAITH
LEADS TO VICTORY
Comment!
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*For information on making Jesus Christ your Savior, email me or visit, http://www.peacewithgod.net/
1 arkencounter.com
2 christianfaithguide.com
