Scripture
By faith Noah, after he was warned about what was not yet seen and motivated by godly fear, built an ark to deliver his family. By faith he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
~Hebrews 11:7, CSB
Quote
Living by faith means never knowing where you are being led.
~Oswald Chambers
J.R.R. Tolkien says that living by faith includes the call to do something greater than cowardly self-preservation. When we reach the edge of what is known in the light, faith leads us into the darkness of the unknown: there in the darkness, we must live by faith and not sight. This means we obey God when it doesn’t make sense. We continue to follow Christ when there is no applause or affirmation. When continue to sow the precious and perfect word of God into the hearts and lives of people even when there is no visible results. Noah preached for 120 years without any affirmation or any results. He was the last of his kind, the only surviving Sethite. He was out of sinc with the world; his neighbors and peers mocked and ridiculed him. They thought he was crazy. Why would a man spend his life building a boat when there was no water on which to float it? Somehow Noah tuned his critics out and stayed in tune with God. He worked relentlessly until the Ark was finished. People of faith do not conform to the world, nor are they appreciated by the world.
Fast forward: Noah finished the Ark–God told him to get inside–God shut the door and the rain began to fall. Noah is not looking so weird and freakish now. The rain was freaking his neighbors out, they had never seen rain before. The rain creates streams where there have never been steams and the rain keep falling until these streams are running through the streets of towns and villages. Now, who is crazy? Noah for building and Ark or those who made fun of him and refused his invitation to get on the Ark. Just imagine, two men floating on debris and one says to the other, “I lived a few houses down from Noah, he invited me to get on the Ark. I thought he was crazy.” The other man says, “You are the one who is crazy: why didn’t you take him up on his offer?” Noah may have looked stupid before the flood but he looks pretty wise today. Jesus said, “As in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man.” People of faith may look foolish now but when Jesus comes, every thing will change. Those who followed Jesus will not be the fools.
- Another mild day weather wise as we await the affects of Florence. Seth and crew are in place. They got there about 8:00 last night. Say a prayer for those who have to work the storms. Big Mama and T will appreciate it and I will not be upset.
- Willard’s mom, Jackie, was better. I think they finally found her problem and got it fixed. Don Murphy’s mom was moved to Summerfords. Remember, this is Larry Slater’s mom also. Roger was worn out from his physical therapy. Don’s daughter Madison is having to take shots but so far, has not had to return to hospital.
- GRACE POINT is putting a team in the Golf Tournament for September 24. We don’t have four men who are physically able to play 18 holes so we have an 8 man team. Four will place the first nine and four the last.
- Walking into the Nursing Home yesterday, I saw myself in my shadow. June was beside me and I said, “Hun, look at that shadow, I walk like a fat man.” She died laughing. Well she did not die because she is still laughing.
