Safety In The Storm

Safety In The Storm

Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing. Everything on earth will die! But I solemnly swear to keep you safe in the boat, with your wife and your sons and their wives. –Genesis 6:17-18

It was the storm of all storms. There had never been one like it before nor has there since, and according to God’s promise, there never will be again. This was a storm of judgment that was sent by God to destroy every living creature on the earth—except for Noah and his family.

Hebrews 11 says that Noah was warned about things not yet seen. He had never seen a flood. He had never seen a thunderstorm. He may have never even seen a raindrop. But he believed God. Even though he had never seen rain, he took God at his word that there would be judgment on the earth by a flood. He also believed that God would provide a way for him and his family to escape judgment. Noah had confidence in God’s provision of an ark that would protect him from the judgment that was about to fall upon the earth in the form of raindrops.

It can be easy to assume that some of the storms that crash into our world are also God’s judgment. Knowing the wrong things we have done and the wickedness in our hearts that we try to keep well hidden, we wonder if the hurts in our lives are God finally giving us what we deserve: judgment.

But that is the beauty of the gospel! Even though we all deserve judgment because of our sin against a holy God, that same God has provided an ark of safety where we can take refuge from the storm of judgment. Jesus himself is the ark in which all who believe can take refuge. Make no mistake: Even though it is unpopular to talk about it today, judgment will once again fall on the earth. The next time it won’t be rain; it will be fire. But God has provided Jesus—our ark of safety—so that we might be saved and the storms of life will never destroy us.

Jesus, you are my only Savior. I can’t save myself or justify myself before a holy God. Thank you for your provision for me so that I no longer have to fear the storm of judgment by flood or by fire.

DIGGING DEEPER