This chapter provides an incredible testament of faith-filled trust! We see right in the beginning that God does not forget his children; He 'remembers'--He considers our situations and has a plan for our future. Jeremiah tells us God's plans and purposes are good and to prosper us. Noah clearly believed that! The most striking thing for me was Noah's patience. Despite clearly uncomfortable, confined circumstances, Noah did not run ahead of the Lord; he waited until God spoke. Noah was neither foolishly idle nor foolishly active. He lived in quiet trust in the circumstances he found himself. He actively gathered information, wisely selected the birds which could assist in giving him a fuller picture of his circumstances but Noah waited for God to speak.
The olive leaf had an intriguing aspect to it...when I researched olive plants, I learned that they seldom are started with seed and take 40-50 years to produce. Perhaps a grown tree was planted by God at the time He chose for Noah and his family to prepare to enter the world? Clearly God chose a process by which to re-prepare the earth for population. He could have made it instantly ready but that was not the plan we see unfold. In God's 'remembrance' of each of us, we can trust His plan is unfolding perfectly. We can follow Noah's example of faithful living and waiting. Wherever we are, there is work to be done...with faith in God, patience for His timing and commitment to His plans. Like Noah's family, God intends for us to be 'in the world' and impact the world around us--bring life to a devastated world. Like Noah's family, our first priority must be sacrificially thanking God for His faithful covenant to this world despite our own faithless hearts!
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