From a very real life, boots-on-the-ground perspective, the most terrifying part of the ark Noah was ordered to build in Genesis 6: 14-16 wasn’t the coming flood or the utter destruction that loomed just over the horizon. Nor was it the pain of the loss he was about to suffer that must have been lurking in the back of his mind. No, it was the blueprint, so to speak, of the ark itself!

God gave Noah the specific measurements and dimensions. He also chose the sealant for waterproofing as well as details for the roof and different floors inside the ark. God did not forget the need for fresh air either, but instructed Noah to leave a cubit (about 18 inches) of space between the roof and tops of the outer walls. But what was missing? Surely God could/would not forget to include everything necessary for the sojourners’ survival! But He definitely left a few things out that none of us would have forgotten. What was “missing” were a steering wheel, a rudder and a sail to pilot the ark along.

What most of us miss, including myself through many read-thrus of Genesis 6, was that the ark wasn’t built to navigate itself through those treacherous waters and long days afterwards, but only to float along wherever God intended it to go. But wait ⏤ there’s more! The ark was also built for a purpose far greater than simply sparing them from the reckoning the rest of the world was about to face. It was built to teach those God spared and everyone after them one of the most important lessons we can learn from Holy Scripture. Noah wasn’t the captain, he was merely one of the passengers! God was in complete control. God was the real Captain!

So what must we learn from this? A hard lesson, for sure! Even after thousands of years, we keep trying to take the helm of what God already promised to steer. In the hustle and bustle of life, we so easily forget that there really isn’t a helm to take in our lives. God is always in control even when we falsely think we are the ones steering this boat. God always was and is always the real Captain!

~ Shalom! Shalom! ☧