"And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in." -Genesis 7:16
I visited the Ark Encounter recently, and among the many things I took away from it, the one that stood out the most was how I see what God did then reflected in my own life and in others going through their own times of transition.
Noah obeyed God in building, preparing, and entering the ark. He left behind the world he knew- before any evidence that God would do as He had said. He knew it was God's direction for him and his family. I had to leave my home, job, pets, and possessions to start deputation without seeing evidence of what God would do. God is as faithful now as He was them and does what He says.
And then we are told that the LORD Himself shut them in the ark. Have you ever been in a place where you feel shut in- in the inability to go back to the world you knew (for Noah, that world was underwater, and for each of us who are saved, the world we knew is gone, and we are a new creature) and in the sense of safety from the storm outside? As I stood inside the replica, it struck me how very quiet and secure it felt. It was a little world all in itself. That reminded me of deputation. It's a place I know God has called me to for a time, and in it, I see His hand of provision and protection in a special way.
I saw some visitors taking pictures in front of the ark door, pulling on the handles. It reminded me of how we sometimes try to force open a door God has closed or shut one He's opened. I'd rather accept His plan for me, trusting He knows best. I'm so grateful for His hand that shuts and opens doors.
When Noah left the ark, he set foot on an earth that didn't look the same as the world he had left. There was evidence of the deaths that occurred and also of new life. He had to start from the ground up and begin again to populate the earth. When I land in Zambia, there will be some foundations to lay and a new land to learn. But the same God who directed me into my "ark" will be there with me. Each part of this journey, each "world," if you will, is beautiful and needed in a unique way.
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