Noah, Abraham, and Volumes

Tonight I was reading to my older kids a book by Jerry Pinkney entitled "Noah's Ark". This is a book filled with the biblical story of Noah and beautiful illustrations. As we were reading I found myself asking some odd questions. They were told to take food and water into the ark for themselves and all the animals. They were in the ark for a year. How much did they have to store up? Did God just make it last, like he turned water to wine or fed 5000? What about Noah's daughters-in-laws' families? Evidently God deemed them "evil," but did Noah's family grieve their loss? Did God tell Noah to bring seeds? Otherwise, how would Noah have begun to be able to feed his family after the flood? What did they DO for over a year with all those animals? Yes, feeding and cleaning pens alone would take a chunk of the day, but after that...? Gin rummy?

I was thinking of how God had told Noah some very specific instructions on what to do - dimensions for ark, type of wood, how to provide for animals, etc. - and even told him it would rain 40 days and nights. But did Noah realize how long it would take for 40 days of rain to recede and the ground to dry up again? On the other hand, God gave Noah a lot more information than the Bible records about Abraham's call, just a few chapters later:

The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.

² "I will make you into a great nation
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

³ I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you."

⁴ So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. ⁵ He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. (Gen. 12 NIV)

Somehow, "Leave...and go to where I will show you" seems to have a lot less detail included. Maybe Noah's instructions had to be more detailed because he held the fate of all animal species in his boat. Maybe Abraham had more faith and needed less information. Either way, God called each of these men and they, in faith, obeyed God.

This weekend our church installed our new senior pastor. In passing the outgoing interim pastor mentioned that our church was beginning a new "chapter in life - no, maybe a new volume." I think this latter description is probably the better one. After 19 years of fruitful ministry under the original pastor, then 2 years of fruitful ministry under interim pastors, our church is, indeed, beginning a new volume in life.

I'd like to think that, like Abraham, our call includes trusting of God and stepping out in faith. And I would like to think that, like Noah, we also will get some details as we go. But, unlike the Bible stories whose endings we already know, our "volume" is still being written. Unlike 3 chapters in Genesis that tell Noah's story, our story is still unfolding. We may have our "go where I will show you" orders, but not know the where, how, when.

Thankfully, God gave Noah and Abraham all they needed - and God gives us all we need.

Merciful God,

Thank you for your provision, your grace, your plans for our future with hope, your plans to prosper us. Thank you for watching over the details and sending men like Noah and Abraham to be examples of how we can trust you and walk in faith where you will show us. Give us the hearts and spirits to know your voice, the courage to go, and the patience to wait when we need to wait. Give us joy for the journey and meet all our needs we pray. In the name of Christ, Amen.