Devotion for October 11, 2008

Are You Willing To Stay Faithful?

“By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.” (Hebrews 11:7 NKJV)

Believers tend to gloss right by some of these declarations. Have you stopped and thought about what Noah had to do in order to be saved? Yes, saved you read it right. God was going to send a flood and destroy every man and animal save those in the ark and such that needed not a solid place to land.

It was his faith that kept him on task. It was his faith that was reckoned as righteousness. However, do you see how it is impossible to separate his faith from his work? Had Noah not continued building the ark he would have perished like all the rest! Of course that is just hypothetical, and you can be sure God was going to see that he finished.

The point is believers need to be willing to do what ever it takes to secure their peace with God. If God says die to yourself, and He has, then you must be willing to do so. If God says give up that sin of ________ [you fill in the blank], then you must be willing to do so.

The building of the ark was a monumental task. Even the lost world understands how enormous the job was. They don’t believe he built it, but there is no doubt in their minds that it would require a herculean effort to do so.

Think about Noah the next time you are tempted to act unfaithful to the Lord. When this life is over and you are standing before Him, will He say well done my good and faithful servant? You know God said heaven is worth the wait, why don’t we trust Him, Amen?