But God remembered Noah

That’s what it says in Genesis 8:1.
Who would think that one little line of scripture could bring so much life to me? It did!
I was awakened the other morning to these words, “ Jan, I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

It was coming from the lover of my soul, my Beloved calling to me to come away with Him. He is altogether lovely, and my love is toward Him. My ear is attentive to his voice.

I had been talking to the LORD about my life. I have really been struggling to trust Him lately. It seems Nate and I are in a waiting time. There is no doubt that the LORD is orchestrating this time. It is still a very difficult place to be. I don’t want to be vague, so I will explain.

Over a year ago, we received a mandate that we would do foreign missions. We prayed and it was confirmed. We did our first trip to Amsterdam in September. We knew this was only the beginning, and received clearer direction for the future. We came back to New Mexico with plans to go out again in September of 2009. We plan on doing a DTS (Discipleship Training School) in Kona, Hawaii. We chose this YWAM base because of their emphasis on Asian outreach.

Since being back in the states, we have had a difficult time finding employment. Nate has been looking and nothing has come through for him as of yet. We are thinking we need to settle some financial matters before going in September. I know the LORD is aware of our plans because He gave them to us. So the morning that I awoke to the LORD calling me, I was eager to hear from Him.

I had also been meditating on Noah’s life. He had such a beautiful relationship with the LORD. He trusted him completely.

Genesis 6:9
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.

Genesis 6:13-14
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 of cypress wood.

Genesis 6:22
Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

I love that passage of scripture. I began to think, have I done everything the LORD has commanded me to do in regards to leaving in September. It seems pretty cut and dry. The LORD gives the mandate and we obey it. Why do I go through so many pathways?
It certainly is a trust issue.
Do I trust that I have heard correctly?
Do I trust Him to open doors and settle things, so that we can do what he has asked us to do?

We can learn a lot from these passages of scripture. Noah was an amazing man of God. I was thinking about how long it took from the time Noah received the command from the LORD to build the ark and when the floodwaters actually began. I am not a Bible scholar, but I believe it was close to one hundred years. That is waiting and trusting that you really did hear from the LORD. We know that it really did flood and the waters destroyed all mankind. We also know that God preserved the lives of Noah and his family.

Genesis 8:1
But God remembered Noah.

This passage of scripture really spoke to me of God’s faithfulness. God is faithful to do what he promises you. It may seem that nothing in the natural is happening to further your life’s call or mission. God is at work. He will complete what He has begun in you. Our job is to rest in his faithfulness. We know the character of God, so we rest. Noah walked with God. He knew Him, and that is why Noah could obey him so beautifully.

The other night we had a friend over for dinner. We typically pray together after our meal. This night as he prayed for Nate and I, he said that he saw a dove with an olive branch in his mouth. He had no idea that I had been meditating on Noah’s life.

Genesis 8:10-11
He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark. When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.
This is an excerpt from my journal:
“I have not forgotten you. Do not feel that way. This is being played out to My liking. Take this time to rest, being shut up in the Ark, till you send out the dove and it returns with an olive leaf in its mouth.”

God truly meets us where we are at in our faith. He is a good Father. Sometimes, I have faith to move mountains, and other times I am like a scared little child who needs the comfort of her Father.

He understands me completely. Sigh

So, I rest and wait.