PEXELS A recreation of what Noah's ark may have looked like.

Credit it to my childhood of loving books, filled with fairy tales and the places books could take me for my imagination to thrive. Perhaps it’s the same for all readers, but I was always an invisible witness and occupant of the places and circumstances I would read about in my selection of books. I was not just on the pages of the books — I was in them!

I haven’t outgrown my imagination — it still accompanies me when I read my Bible. So many of the stories (they are real; not the fairy type) can place me in the most venturesome circumstances. Noah is a REAL trek to follow!

As I stand beside Noah when God calls him, I know right away that Noah was indeed a righteous man that fellowshipped with God. Noah listened when God spoke. Even though Noah and his wife were living in corrupt, extremely evil times, they stayed focused on worshiping God and raising their sons to be God-worshipers. (When I’ve observed Noah, it’s encouraged me that righteousness can survive in evil surroundings.) 

That particular day when God told Noah He had seen enough of all the violence and evil and was going to put an end to all flesh, Noah just listened and took down the specific instructions for building his family’s means of salvation from the flood. The Bible doesn’t mention Noah asking any questions, but I have wondered so many times why Noah didn’t ask some of the questions I would have considered.

Lord, Noah must be handy with tools because you asked him to build an ark with his own hands and Your blueprint, but approximately how long is this ark going to take to complete? Can you describe what an ark looks like?

I’m certain that Noah grasped the seriousness of the assignment when God shared that the ark would carry the only survivors of the entire world. I have always pictured him taking down the measurements and leaning into the voice of the Almighty. Did Noah ask about a handle on the inside of the door? Did he even wonder how he would close and open the door to his ark? Or was that a minor consideration in this unbelievable assignment?

There were more questions I would have asked — if this ark floats, where is it going? How will it move? Will it have a place for oars or some kind of sail to move it through this deep water? 

My questions would have just begun, but God’s Word simply states that Noah did all that God commanded — and that was after the instructions about all the animals that would be on board the ark and the responsibility of gathering the kinds of food they would eat. The addition of the animal occupancy would have created a list of questions for me that would have definitely slowed down the construction of the ark!

I’m forever thankful that God miraculously and inspirationally logged all the wonderful adventures in the Bible, not only to inspire us to be listeners but to grow our faith.

Camille Anding, The Daily Leader,  P. O. Box 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602.