“The Lord shut him in” (Genesis 7:16)  

Imagine Noah and his family working on the largest wood structure anyone had ever seen. It was probably the talk of the ancient world. I’m sure, one of the reasons it took at least 40 years to complete, was they had to constantly stop to tell passerby’s about the coming flood. The faithfulness of Noah to keep going despite the ridicule of the world, begs the question, what are you doing for God? 

 “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7). “The Lord shut him in” means Noah trusted God to close them in from the flood. He could have sealed that door years before, and run the animals up a ramp to the deck, but apparently, this test of faith was important to God. 

Every saint is given tests of faith like this. Many times, I’ve been led to give people money, when I had no way of knowing how God would replace it. My joy in giving when God says “give”, was because I had faith and intimacy with God. “God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). 

 Noah had faith and intimacy with God, so he built a boat when the world said “you fool!”. You tell someone about Christ and give him money because God says “give”, and the world says “you fool!”. You aren’t crazy and you’re not a fool if you’re a fool for Christ. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). 

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).