What if Noah had Given Up?

Faith.

That’s what has kept us alive. Think back to Genesis: to a humanity so corrupt God decided to wipe it all out. To Noah and his family and the beloved bedtime story of the ark. Think back to what you didn’t understand as a child: the why.

Why did God have Noah build the ark? Why, if God wanted to wipe out the human race because it was so corrupt, did people survive? Human nature didn’t change. It stayed selfish and evil. So why does it look like God made the same mistake twice?

Because there was a man with faith so strong it saved the human race. He held onto the hope of Jesus when literally no one else did. He was alone, standing strong on a single rock—his faith in God. Noah knew. Every morning he woke up thinking of what life in community with other Christians and God himself would be like. He knew that’s what he had to work for.

He had to fight every day. To do the right thing. To get up each morning and pursue joy. Every day, every second, he had to hurl himself at God—or give up and melt in with the rest. And Noah found favor with God.

But imagine a world where the story of one man was tweaked ever so slightly. One day, in the middle of the deep dark struggle, a man gave up. With a sigh, he dropped his faith on the ground and walked away. Because of that, Noah wouldn't have found favor with the Lord.

No ark. No connection with God. A flood with no survivors.

No olive leaf. No hope.

If  Noah had given up, the human race would’ve been wiped out ages ago. Our beautiful story wouldn’t have continued onward.

But Noah didn’t give up. He pursued our Lord every day with desperate hope. He stumbled, maybe even fell. Yet he got up. He dusted himself off and kept walking on the path toward God. When God told him to build a crazy ark to survive, Noah obeyed. His faith was true and strong in the hope we now have. He knew redemption was on its way.

The same goes for us. We weary sinners, waiting for the return of our Lord. In the midst of a world that can't wait and spits in the face of God, we're still. Our faith remains strong. As we wait, our stories unfold, weaving out a tapestry of all life. From the beginning to now.

This story—our story—there isn't one that's more important. And to make it the best story we can, we need faith. So, my friend, don't give up your faith in God. It's too precious to let go. Hold on to his hand. He's there, I promise. Let him weave your story in with mine, in with everyone's.

You have a beautiful story. So keep going. Stand against the waves beating you down. Stand like Noah did, firm in God. Your story is meant to fly, just like a dove, carrying the hope of an olive leaf.

Rebekah