God's Timeline...Not What I always Think It Should Be

Genesis 6:5-8 -   Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.  So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.”  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Sin had taken such great hold on the world that God could only find one man he saw any purpose for saving. Every intent of every heart was evil in all the others except Noah. God found something good in Noah worth saving and poured out his grace on Noah in a way to save him and his family along with two of every creature. 

We are not told what quality Noah had that gave him a heart to walk with God…but it must have been a combination of wisdom…creativity…carpentry and animal husbandry.  Noah even ignored taunting persecution and remained obedient until a ship as large as today’s football fields was finished and ready to load with food …animals…and Noah’s family.

There were no machines to cut that wood… no store bought nails…. or waterproofing.  Noah had to listen to every whisper of God to finish all the intricate details of this vessel that would save Noah and thousands of animals from the flood God was going to send. It did not happen very quickly...if you figure that he was 500 when he had his three sons….and 600 when he entered the ark…it was a little less than 100 years.

There are many lessons we can learn from Noah as he built this ark for God…but I am drawn especially to the long timeline it took.  I don’t believe I am the only believer that struggles with God’s timeline being longer than what we perceive or want it to be…..but this story tells me that some tasks we are given of God just take time to organize…to build….to put together in just the perfect way for God to use it.

Father…thank you for the reminder that time in your hands is never what I perceive it to be in mine.  Forgive me for the times that I try to rush your timeline…or slow it down to fit what I think it should be.  help me to listen better to the whispers you send to give the details I need to understand just how long to take in each situation. Amen.