Noah - and a Book Referral

I've got a new book I would really, really refer strongly to you.  I think I picked it up at the Bellevue bookstore (for my Memphis friends).  But if you don't live in Memphis, I'm sure you could find the book at Amazon.com.  Anyhow, the book is called Men of the Bible:  A One-Year Devotional Study of Men in Scripture - written by Ann Spangler & Robert Wolgemuth.

"Men of the Bible takes a close-up look at fifty-two men in Scripture - complex flesh-and-blood 'characters' whose strengths and weaknesses are similar to our own.  Heroes and villains, sinners and prophets, commoners and kings, their dramatic life stories provide us with a fresh perspective on the unfolding story of redemption."

I put quotes around the word "characters" because I don't like that word when used when talking about people from the Bible.  We must always remember that these people are not fictional.  The Bible is:  the direct, infallible, inerrant, God-BREATHED word of God.  And I think that using the word "characters" - even with innocent motive - can make it seem like we're referencing Jack and the Beanstalk. 

But I digress.

This book has just been a real blessing to me, and I really encourage you to order a copy right away.  I was reading the chapter on Noah today and I was impressed with the courage and "intestinal fortitude" of this guy - you might say "guts"!  God came down and gave Noah a really rather incredible, unbelievably awesome set of instructions.  Men were literally driving their camels past his house scorning and mocking him.  "So, still pounding away on that boat, are ya!? Ha ha ha ha ha!!!"  And on and on and on they laughed.  And Noah lived with that - and the doubting and stress that it placed on his marriage for nearly eight years.  But the key is that Noah trusted God.  But what I really loved about this passage from this book especially was this quote:

"Tucked away in this story is the secret to Noah's success.  Noah walked with God.  For Noah, surrender was not a decision or noteworthy event; it was a process.  A routine.  A journey.  A walk.  Obedience was the natural result of this methodical approach.  Walking with God meant knowing him.  Knowing God meant loving him.  Loving meant hearing.  Hearing, obeying.  And obeying God meant salvation. 

We can imagine that decades of subtle and overt ridicule may have led Noah to question God.  There had to have been moments of loneliness and genuine doubt.  But taking one step at a time along the path God had laid out for him kept Noah on track."

But really hear what the author is saying there - "Walking with God meant knowing him.  Knowing God meant loving him.  Loving meant hearing.  Hearing, obeying."

That is a deeply important and profound lesson for us as believers in Christ and it really has to do with Lordship and giving ourselves over to the Lord completely.  This really makes me think of the Lord Jesus walking up to a couple of guys with fish bait on their hands and telling them to drop their nets and follow him - that he was going to make them fishers of men.  What does the Bible say they did? -  - "they forsook ALL."  They didn't go home and consult their families.  They didn't stop and think about it.  They didn't even seem to ask many questions.  They trusted - they dropped their nets and followed him.  May we do the same.  God bless you tonight.