One Way God Speaks to Us In Our Grief
God isn’t looking for perfect people, just faithful ones. Noah revealed his faith with actions. God told him to do something crazy and silly. Let’s be honest. How many of us would have built this crazy ark? The world was going south fast, but this seemed like a crazy rescue plan. A boat? What was a boat anyway? Some scientists and scholars believe it had never even rained before Noah’s time.
Only God builds an ark before the first drop of water falls from the clouds. The rescue plan was set into motion before the danger even arrived. Noah obeyed God because He believed two things about God: God was going to punish sin. God was going to provide a rescue. Even though punishment was coming, so was provision.
The Ark reminds us: God’s will for us is to be safe. To feel protected, but not from what we imagine. Noah was probably made fun of. Noah was probably ridiculed. After all he was building the ark for 120 years before it started to rain. No one believed him enough to help him or to join him on the ark at the end. God did not protect Noah from hardship, but God protected Noah from punishment.
One Way God Speaks to Us In Our Grief
As we begin this journey of discovering how God shows up for us, we must see this point first. Rescue is the first step! There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. (Romans 8:1) Your loneliness is not a punishment. God often doesn’t keep us from hurting, but He does provide a way through the suffering. The feelings of loneliness might be inevitable, but God says I’m here! I’m going to rescue you through it.
You see, God didn’t stop the flood; He provided a way through it. And God is still rescuing us this way. Noah experienced what we have today. He had an encounter with the Rescuer. Listen to how God is our rescuer from the Psalmist’s pen:
Flash forth lightning and scatter them;
Shoot out Your arrows and destroy them.
Stretch out Your hand from above;
Rescue me and deliver me out of great waters,
From the hand of foreigners,
Whose mouth speaks lying words,
And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
-Psalm 144:6-8
Who has spoken against you and lied about you? Who has left you alone in this world? God is our rescuer in the midst of the waters of grief and He speaks to us.
Can we still praise God if we were stripped of everything? Thanksgiving is not only about what God does for us but all God is for us. Friend, there are lots of things God does for us for which we can give thanks. I mean He does so much! Salvation, listens to our prayers, and provides our needs. We can give Him thanks for all of these things, but I believe there is more.
As I reflect back on this year I want to remember all God is instead of thinking about what He’s done. Yes, I am thankful for all God has given me and done for me, but I want to be thankful for just simply who He is! Will you join me? For the next fourteen days let’s read verses in the Bible that remind us of God’s character and spend some time rejoicing in our God who is beyond compare! Download the free PDF here!