JANUARY 06: “DO AS HE BIDS YOU TO”

A close look at the account of creation in Genesis 1 & 2, reveals that God is concerned about the details in what He does, and also wants us to do same in dealing with Him. Every little step of the work of creation is reported to form the overall picture. This is again repeated in our text, as God spoke to Noah about His plan to save him and his family from the intended destructive flood that was about to pour upon the whole world at that time.

The reason for the flood is given by God to Noah, what he is to do for his safety and exactly how he was to build the Ark that was to house him, his family, and other creatures God wanted to preserve, the materials for building the Ark, the specifications, the kind of animals and other creatures that were to be brought into the Ark with him, their food supply, enough for the duration of the flood, and so on. 

Noah’s alignment with God is again seen in his response to God’s detailed instructions. Verse 22 of our text for today says that Noah did everything just as he was instructed by God, keeping exactly to those details. So the Ark built by Noah was the very Ark God had in mind to preserve for Himself, new species of a new creation. Noah did the will of God here on earth as it was in heaven. Certainly, this must have endeared him to God the more. Our God loves obedience much more than sacrifice.

This year, please note that your alignment with God will be tested by the quality of your obedience to His instructions. Partial obedience is no obedience, so do not be deceived. Do not attempt to modify God’s instructions to suit your convenience, or else you will not produce His will. Do exactly as He bids you to do.

Thank God we have a perfect example even in the New Testament in the person of Jesus. His obedience to God is attested to by Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians 2:5-11. Read this carefully and ask Jesus for grace to do as He did. See also Deut 28:1-2; 1 Sam 15:22; Prov 13:13; Luke 6:46; John 14:15; James 1:22.

PRAYER: Ask God to help you by His Spirit to totally surrender to Him and be fully obedient to Him in all things this year and beyond, Amen.