May 12, 2023
So…..we all know the story of good ole’ Noah, right? Brother Blake brought the story home last
Sunday at Riverbend just in time for me to redirect my thought process and commit to the work God has purposed for me. The days just before then contained enough confusion and emotional turmoil that I had actually thought, “Well, I’ve walked away from things before…”
But God…..Brother Blake reminded us that God spoke TO NOAH, that Noah followed God’s directions to build that ark for 120 years, that there must have been plenty of days during that time when Noah had to question his calling and his purpose, that there was surely plenty of ridicule and distraction (after all, no one had ever actually seen “rain”)…..but Noah kept building.
“OK then, God….I hear you and I am not walking away.” My heart felt lighter, and my mind was less distracted. But God….sometimes (actually a LOT of the time) He has to make sure this child REALLY gets it.
Yesterday I was with my daughter, Abby, in St. Louis while she was going through heart tests. She had open heart surgery in 2016 and happens to also be deaf/blind. She has two cochlear implants so she is able to hear. She has been through multiple trials in her 41 years and has always been the courageous overcomer in each and every challenge. She is a college graduate, owns her own home in St. Louis, and is one amazing lady (I just throw that in for extra emphasis
on how incredible she is and how good God is…)
Following the tests we were famished and drove to our favorite Red Lobster for a late lunch…..only to find that the building was empty and being sold…..NO Red Lobster. Abby named another restaurant she likes, and I put it in my map quest for directions. Thirty minutes later we finally arrive after the directions took me through several obviously wrong mall parking lots and wrong addresses.
We go through the front door, not quite ready to be seated. The waitress tells us our menus will be at a certain booth. Just as we walk up to the booth, I hear another waitress telling an older gentleman in the booth that was next to ours……(get ready for this)…..”I just have to be like Noah and KEEP BUILDING THAT ARK! I have to be prepared!!!!”
What???????? Trumpets blaring! Whistles blowing! “Did you get that, Jane?” (the Voice says from the heaven).
I don’t know what you may be going through…..but I’m pretty certain you are either coming out of something or getting ready to go into something….regardless, remember Who has called you. He has not changed His mind. He has not forgotten you. He has not disqualified you from the purpose for which you were created. No matter what….keep building. No matter what….keep your eyes on the One who called you to do something no one else has ever done. The “for real” trumpet will be sounding soon enough!
Jane Pfefferkon