Reading Plan:
Genesis 8:1-19
Waiting Well
Author: Kyle Warren
Have you received a birthday or anniversary card that said something like “remembering you on your special day”? When you read that line, you know the sender of the card had not completely forgotten about you, but rather in their “remembering,” their mind is set squarely on you. You don't have to first forget in order to “remember” something, to "remember" simply means to have awareness.
So, when we read the opening words of Genesis 8 that “God remembered Noah,” that does not mean that God had forgotten about His servant locked away in the ark. God had never lost any awareness or focus on Noah’s situation, but here God’s work begins to shift from judgment of sin to rescue and redemption.
Although God “remembered” Noah, his situation didn’t exactly change quickly, at least not according to the expectation that most of us have for quickly. For nearly 6 months after the rain had stopped, Noah and his family waited for the waters to reside. Week after week, he released birds to see if they would find a dry place to rest or if they would return to the ark. Day after day, they watched and waited. Can you imagine the restless anxiety each day, wondering when you might be able to discover what (if any) life would be waiting for you outside those walls?
FINALLY, in verse 13, Noah opens the door of the ark and there it was - beautiful dry ground. Do you think Noah went running and jumping on dry land? Picked up some dry dirt just to feel it? Nope. Noah just waited some more. Verses 14 and 15 say that Noah waited another month and a half before God sent him out of the ark.
Wait. Wait. And wait a little more. Have you ever been in a season of waiting? Maybe you are there right now. Waiting for God to answer a prayer or send a miracle. Maybe you can see the dry ground in front of you, but you are still waiting to be released out of your current circumstances. Take heart in the fact that you are not alone in your waiting. God has not, even for a second, forgotten you. He sees you in your waiting. Your waiting is not without reason. Just like God was drying the ground in preparation for Noah and his family to flourish, God is preparing you and the path forward in ways we will likely never fully understand.
If you are in a season of waiting, here are a few things you can do in order to wait well on God’s next step:
- Develop a new prayer rhythm.
- Journal your prayers and what God is showing you.
- Find a song that expresses your feelings in this season.
- Reread stories in scripture of waiting, like Noah’s. Be reminded of God’s faithfulness.
- Lean into the community of faith around you. Let others share in your searching.
Don’t miss the preparation time that God is providing you. Press into Him and His people. This preparation is likely exactly what you need to be ready for what lies ahead.
Reflection & Response:
- When was the last time you were in a season of waiting? Looking back on that time, what did God show you?
- What are you waiting for now? Have you been praying about it? Who are you sharing it with?
Have kids?
Use the content below to dive deeper into the Bible Reading Plan with your family.
Family Application: Waiting
- Take turns reading portions of Genesis 8. A great next step that someone can take is reading scripture out loud. After God sent rain on the earth, the water flooded for almost six months. Noah and his family had to stay on the ark for over six months. They were waiting and waiting to be able to get off the ark and onto dry ground again.
- God was with Noah and his family the entire time they were in the ark, but God didn’t change Noah’s situation quickly - he had to wait. Waiting can be really hard to do but it can have a huge benefit. Is waiting for something hard for you? What would you have done if you were in Noah’s shoes and had to wait over six months to get off of the ark?
- Spend time brainstorming about something special your family can do together. Plan it, but set the date for a week later so that everyone has to wait for it.