Genesis 6:22 (NIV84)
22Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
Hebrews 11:7 (NIV84)
7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
Matthew 24:38–39 (NIV84)
38For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
In a world that prizes evidence, experience, and empirical proof, Noah stands as a towering example of a different way of knowing and living. By faith, the author of Hebrews tells us, Noah acted. He was warned about “things not seen,” a catastrophe for which there was no precedent and no physical evidence[1]. All his senses and experiences would have told him that his task was absurd. Yet he chose to live and act on the basis of God’s revelation, not on the basis of his own feelings or reason. He shows us that the very heart of the serpent’s original lie was to contradict the word of God, and the very heart of faith is to trust it above all else.
This faith, we are told, was expressed in “holy fear.” This is not the cowering terror of a slave before a tyrant. Rather, it is the profound inner awe and wonder a creature feels before its Creator. Trusting God’s Word had reoriented Noah’s entire reality. His heart and behavior were now controlled by the world as God defined it, not as the culture around him did. This holy fear did not make him anxious or fragile; it made him imperturbable. It gave him the strength to withstand the ridicule of an entire world and the courage to build an ark on dry land.
Noah’s obedience, then, did not earn his salvation; it was the evidence of it. His righteousness was one that “comes by faith.” Because he first found grace (Gen 6:8), he was able to walk in faith, and that faith was expressed in radical, costly obedience. He is a great example for all who live as believers in a pagan world. Saturated with the Word of God, he could see reality as God saw it, not as his culture defined it. It was this faith, rooted in God’s grace and expressed in holy fear, that allowed him to condemn the world by his steady obedience and, in doing so, to save his family.
Reflect, Share & Prayer: Noah was called to act on a warning about something he had never seen. In what area of your life is God calling you to trust His word over what you can see, feel, or logically deduce? Pray for a “holy fear” that leads to courageous, faith-filled obedience.
[1] Genesis 2:5–6 (NIV84) 5…the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, 6but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground
I was telling my small group last night that after speaking medical Spanish during my 3 years of residency training, how I was looking forward to practicing medicine in English, only to have God call me to work in the Vietnamese community instead. This was 20+ years ago..my Vietnamese was 2nd grade level. I complained and tried to weasel out of it, but I finally obeyed because I just wanted to be where God was calling me.
When we follow Jesus, he’ll more often than not call you to do things that will make you afraid (ex: adopt Niko, be involved in a church plant) but it’ll always be for your good and His glory.
“Lord Jesus, you were obedient to the Father even unto death for my sake..how could I not live in obedience in light of what you’ve done for me? Give me the faith to trust that your will for my life is all part of your sanctifying work to shape me into your image, not the world’s image.”
I would have to say that today, the area of my life in which God is calling me to trust His Word over what I can see, feel, or logically deduce would have to be in regards to my kids- especially my older daughters. I’m finding that it is challenging to just let go and allow them to have their own experience without wanting to step in and “fix” things, (not that anything I do ever “fixes” much🤣). Though I have certainly bore witness to God’s grace working in their hearts in some subtle ways, I tend to get very anxious about some bad choices I see them making, and pray often for the wisdom to know when to step in and when to step back. Yet, when God clearly indicates that I should step back, I still step in- and that never goes well😔 As hard as it is, I know they need to make their own choices and have their own experience in order to grow and even to come to know God’s grace for themselves. I guess I’m mostly afraid that they’ll go down the path I did- but, then again, He used that path to lead me to Him! And He can certainly be trusted- infinitely more than me! I just need to let that awareness travel from my head to my heart, and allow Him to do what only He can do in their hearts and lives.
Father, forgive my lack of faith, and help my unbelief! I’ve seen and experienced Your mighty, miraculous, redemptive work countless times- so I know better than to trust in what I see, feel, or think over Your Word! I pray that the “holy fear” and profound inner awe that has permeated my heart would imbue my evolving role as a father to my kids, and every aspect of my being! Amen.
For me right now it’s my future. I think being a young adult all you think about is whether or not you are going to make it. I need to trust that if God has gotten me this far in far why should I doubt that he will provide for me later in life. Even though it is unknown I need to trust God and his promises. Like Noah even though there was no sign of rain he trusted God. I can’t see the future but I need to trust and pray to God
Happy Halloween everyone!
There have been times in my life when God has asked me to trust Him even when nothing made sense, much like Noah building the ark before there was a single drop of rain. I’ve faced situations where I prayed and hoped for something different, yet God seemed silent. I couldn’t see how His plan could possibly be good, and everything in me wanted to hold on or find my own way. It’s always scary and been challenging for me to let go.
But like Noah, I’m learning that faith means obeying God’s Word even when I can’t see the outcome. Learn to trust.
Each act of obedience continuing to pray, surrendering what I can’t control, choosing to believe His promises when my emotions waver is like placing another plank on the ark. I may not understand what God is doing, but I want to keep trusting that He sees the full picture. I’ve realized that faith isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about holding onto the One who does.
Lord, I don’t always understand what You’re doing, but I want to trust You the way Noah did. Help me obey even when I can’t see the full picture. When my heart feels uncertain or afraid, remind me that Your Word is sure and Your timing is perfect. Give me a holy fear that keeps me close to You and a steady faith that keeps building, one obedient step at a time. Amen.
It might sound funny, but the area where I need to trust God the most right now is in Timmy’s future wife. There’s no one in the picture yet, but I trust God’s timing completely. Timmy’s top priority has always been finding a committed Christian girl and I keep reminding him to stay obedient to God, God will never let him down. I often mention Charles and Hoa as an example of how God’s plan unfolds perfectly in His time. Their marriage came later in life, yet it’s such a blessing to everyone around them. I pray that Timmy’s marriage, when it comes, will also be one that glorifies God, not just for personal happiness, but to serve and bless others together.
Lord, help me trust You with Timmy’s future. Teach me to wait patiently and believe that Your timing is perfect. Prepare both his heart and hers to love and serve You first, and each other second. Amen.
God is calling me to trust in Him in areas where outcomes feels uncertain in my family life and work. I think that with two kids now, it’s a bit more hectic and crazy, so it’s hard to trust in Him sometimes when I just want to control the situation to make sure that everyone is doing ok. So trusting Him in learning how to parent, especially as Emma is becoming more aware and how we interact w/ her is different than when she was a baby. God, I pray that I trust in you with obedience
I feel like God is calling me to trust His protection and guidance over my kids. I try to be intentional with them, but I often find myself anxious that it’s not enough—revealing how easily I lean on my own strength instead of His.
Lord, help me surrender my fears and trust You fully. Remind me that You love my children even more than I do, and that Your protection and guidance are perfect. I lay my anxieties at Your feet.
The area where I should try God but it was not logical to me is fasting. I just simply don’t understand the concept of depriving myself of the food that God has provided to me. I guess sometime we need to feel the suffering of Jesus to better understand the cast of our salvation? I will look into it as I just realize today’s reading reminded me to learn more about God. Father God, your wisdom is so vast that we can never comprehend. You plan is so perfect that sometimes I can even understand why. But I do know this one thing. Is that you love us, so much so that you sacrificed your only son for us. I pray that I will be constantly reminded of your love and be faithful and trusting in your plan. Amen
God called me to lead a small group for one time. I’ve never led any type of Christian fellowship before, and just like many people, public speaking is a big fear for me. But God called me to lead a small group for once. I wasn’t sure about leading and I’m not good at leading. I was doubtful about myself doing a good job of leading. Even though I feel like I have to lead, I don’t want to quit, which is worse than not even trying. All I can do is just to try to do it nicely, by studying and reading books, by praying to Holy Spirit to lead me and speak through me, by working with other people. God, sorry for delaying my obedience and any disobedience. My fear isn’t holy but sinful. I should have holy fear in me. Give me grace and mercy so that I can work on my faith and always depend on Holy Spirit in this process.