God’s Story… For My Life

Genesis 8:1-22

Five months after the flood began, the waters recede.

Powerful Patience

Read

Then God said to Noah, “Leave the boat, all of you—you and your wife, and your sons and their wives. Release all the animals—the birds, the livestock, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—so they can be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth.”

So Noah, his wife, and his sons and their wives left the boat. And all of the large and small animals and birds came out of the boat, pair by pair.

Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.”
(Genesis 8:15-21)
Reflect

The story of the Flood is an example of great patience—both God’s patience with us and Noah’s patience with God.

Throughout the Bible, God showing his love and patience toward men and women in order to save them. Although he knows that their hearts are evil, he continues to try to reach them. When we sin or reject God, we deserve to be destroyed by his judgment. But God has promised never again to destroy everything on earth until the Day of Judgment, when Christ will return to destroy evil. Now every change of season reminds us of his patience.

Noah also exhibited great patience. While on the ark, occasionally Noah would send a bird out to test the earth and see if it was dry. But Noah didn’t get out of the boat until God told him to. He was waiting for God’s timing. God knew that even though the water was gone, the earth was not dry enough for Noah and his family to venture out. What patience Noah showed, especially after spending an entire year inside his boat! We, like Noah, must patiently trust God during those difficult times when we must wait.

Respond

Waiting for God’s timing can be difficult. Things look good from our view, so we want to rush ahead of God’s timing for us. God knows what’s best and his timing is always perfect. Where do you need to take a step back and wait for God to lead you? Ask God for patience.