TIMED WAITING

• DAY 283
• FAITH FILE: NOAH
• SCRIPTURES: GENESIS 7:1-5

Then the LORD said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation. You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth. For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him.

I think the longest day in my life or the longest six hours of my life, was waiting for my sister to come out of surgery. The doctors told me that the surgery was going to take about five to six hours. and this was a life-defining surgery. So waiting on the other side of the door felt like torture. The first 30 minutes felt like three days. I was anxious and praying under my breath all through, but I was still very anxious and restless. Whenever someone came out of the room I would ask about progress, and they would try to calm me down. The fact that I knew how long the surgery would take didn’t make me less anxious. I was looking at the clock the whole time.

I believe it’s the same for most people. When the stakes are high, waiting feels like torture, and knowing the duration doesn’t affect the anxiety. But then there are people like Noah who are not fearful while waiting. 7 days to the rain, God asked him to go into the ark with his family and the animals. This meant that he had to wait six whole days in an ark that was built to be on top of water but was still on dry land, with all kinds of animals.

We know that it was a miracle for these creatures to dwell together in one place without devouring Noah or each other, but he still had to deal with their bodily functions and noises. But this will be nothing compared to the feedback from all the sinful people outside. I can almost hear what they might have said, “There goes the crazy dude moving onto a boat with animals, waiting for rain.” “Noah, you said it would rain, where is this rain, Noah?”

A Good Waiter

Yet, we never read that he felt afraid or doubted that God would not send the rain after seven days. We also never read that he kept checking the time. He rested in the assurance that God’s word was true and stayed put where God put him. People of faith and courage are good waiters. It is the fearful people who are anxious and make terrible waiters.

Beloved, I know that waiting can be tough, but can you consider doing what Noah did and just stay put and trust that what God said He was going to do He will do? Stay put in the ark until He sends the rain and do not worry about what others are saying outside your window. Just focus and stay put where God has put you. God is faithful to keep his word.

So pray

If you’re in a waiting season and you’re feeling anxious say, “God, I pray for patience and strength and I pray for peace. You said, if I pray, you’re going to give me peace. Oh God, in this season help me to wait upon you and not be uncomfortable and not be weary but instead trust in you completely. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Shalom.