BUILDING AND WAITING

Today's reading: Genesis 4-7

"Finally, the day came when the Lord said to Noah, Go into the boat with all your family, for among the people of the earth, I consider you alone to be righteous...One week from today I will begin forty days and forty nights of rain..." Genesis 7:1 NLT

I don't know how long it took Noah and his boys to build the ark.

It was a huge task in a time when there were no power tools, Home Depot's or machinery to help in the production and construction.

It had to have taken a very, very long time.

But as I read the account today, I believe the 'longest' period of time had to have been the seven days God had Noah and his family sitting in the ark waiting to hear the first raindrops.

Waiting.

Just waiting.

Closed in. Cooped up. Shut out from the world.

Was it a time of rest? Probably not, the animals all needed fed as they waited for the 'cruise' to begin.

I believe it took as much faith to stay in the ark those seven days as it ever took to cut down the first tree for the building of the ark.

God sometimes asks us to take the big steps--then wait.

Sometimes He allows us to work up the courage and faith to do what He asks--then we have to wait for His answer.

Waiting is tough, but I have faith in God that it serves a monumental purpose.

It prepares us for the flood of blessings that come with obedience.