The Ride Within the Ark

My life’s journey with God is filled with moments of God revealing understanding of His will and way. The majority of these sharing experiences are enlightenment through new perspectives and perception of age-old Biblical happenings. It’s as if God hits me over the head (and heart) with a new window to view one of His past occurrences, gifts or lessons Some bring laughter to my body. Others flood my soul with tears. Such was last weekend’s wrenching comprehension which I now share – the ride within the Ark. 

Noah and his family loved and obeyed God in a time much like today. Evil was rampart; and much of humanity worshipped and adored themselves and their ways, not God and His Word. Our Lord in Heaven recognized Noah’s family as moral and God-centered, though living in the midst of the complete antithesis to His will and way. God vowed to save Noah and his offsprings. Thus, Noah and his loved ones found shelter from complete annihilation within the Ark that God instructed him to build. Today, not one of us Christians is unfamiliar with God saving Noah through a ride in the Ark. However, I’d bet we all fall short of one of the most instructional and reassuring lessons of the Ark – what was the ride within the Ark like??? 

God brought Noah to safety through a ride in the Ark, but it was not a smooth sailing escape. From within the Ark, Noah and all inside endured not a sunny cruise but a wild, rugged storm. And no, there weren’t hurricane ready windows that Noah could gaze through seeking signs of the storm subsiding. In the total darkness of a tempest squall, Noah’s Ark journey was God leading him to promised safety and salvation. 

Fast forward to our present day. To us who firmly trust and believe God is shaking up our unscrupulous world but who, also, cling to God’s Word that His followers and believers will be saved, what kind of ride are we expecting? Are we to anticipate a luxury cruise or a grasping hold on a dinghy we fear is about to capsize? Three days ago, God led me to comprehend the answer to this question. 

When we are aboard God’s ship, with destination beyond earth’s tribulations (possibly at this very moment), not sunlight but the light of the SON, solely and “soul”y, will navigate our journey. On our inside God’s peace will reign, but beating fiercely on the outside of our vessel will be unending waves of worldly, evil forces. 

Smooth sailing is in eternity, not the journey there. Though we’ve secured a ticket on the heaven bound carrier, those of us travelling inside this Ark, just like those on Noah’s, will be tossed and thrown by threatening floods of heinous, outside opposition. Thus, as we face the forces of Satan’s nature, let’s fasten the sashes of our armor and secure our inner peace and trust by pondering Noah’s ride within the Ark.