IT AIN’T A GO UNTIL GOD SAYS “GO”

Noah waited for a loooong time for the flood to subside. He waited until he saw a sign when “the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, in her mouth a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth” (Genesis 8:11)

Yes! Finally, a fresh leaf means a tree therefore dry land is here! So did Noah go out of the ark to find this dry land. No. He did what most of us would not do. Verse 12 says “Then he waited another seven days and sent forth the dove.”

Maybe Noah just wanted to make sure. But his first assumption about dry land must be correct because the last phrase of verse 12 says that the dove “did not return to him anymore.” The dove must have found a place to stay already.

Noah now has two confirmations of dry land. Did he go out now to look for it? Not yet. Maybe he was a skeptic. Because had to personally check and see it with his own eyes. So he “removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and behold, the face of the ground was dry.” (Genesis 8:13)

Noah now has two confirmations plus he personally saw dry land. If I were Noah I would broadcast the good news to my family, prepare our things, prepare the animals and start leaving the ark. After waiting for a looooong time that would be the logical approach. So what does Noah do? He waits again. In fact, he waits for another month!

Wow! I am beginning to think that Noah does not really want to step out of the ark. Maybe he prefers this fully packed boat with stinky animals compared to the open dry land with fresh air.

What the heck was Noah waiting for?

He was waiting for the “GO” of God. Verse 15-16 says - Then God said to Noah, “Go forth from the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you.”

And right after that, “he went forth, and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him” (Genesis 8:18)

Noah had two signs and personally saw dry land but he did not act based on what he knew. He waited. He knew that God knew better. He waited for God. Good things come to those who wait.

Are you waiting for something? Pray about it. Wait for God. Because it ain't a GO till God says GO. - alvinfabella@yahoo.com