Believe It or Not

Then God told Noah and his sons, “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants,  and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth.  Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.”  Genesis 9:8-11

When I was younger, I enjoyed watching a show called 'Ripley's Believe It or Not.'  This show explored some of the most mysterious and unexplained phenomena.  I later discovered that it was inspired by a newspaper column that began in the late 1920s.  The show's appeal lay in its presentation of events and facts, sometimes even fictional stories, which were so strange they made you wonder if they could possibly be true. This is how the phrase "believe it or not" became its signature catchphrase.

As I was reading Genesis, I came across the story of Noah and the Ark.  Many people find it hard to believe that such a massive flood could occur, wiping out all life except for Noah and those on the Ark.  I sometimes struggle with this too, but diving deeper into God's word has been enlightening.  We all know the story, but we often overlook the details. Today, I want to focus on those details.

As Christians, we find assurance in God's word because He has consistently proven Himself to be trustworthy. The story of the Great Flood often sparks skepticism and challenges to the reality of God. However, our belief stands firm for good reason. In the story of Noah, we learn several important lessons.

Firstly, Noah, much like us, was faithful to God, though not without flaws. After the flood, it is recorded that "One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent" (Genesis 9:21). This incident shows that Noah was not perfect, yet God chose to make a covenant with him due to his steadfast faithfulness.

Here is the thing where we get into the believability in God.  God clearly promised that the event of the Great Flood would never occur again. While some may question whether the Great Flood actually happened, I often point out that the Big Bang theory, which attempts to explain the creation of the earth, also requires a leap of faith. Regardless, we can be certain that nothing like the flood has happened since, as God promised it would not.  For us as Christians, this promise is not only a testament to God's love but also a reaffirmation of His supremacy.  Paul the Apostle captures the conviction of our belief in Hebrews 6:17-18, stating:

God also bound himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that he would never change his mind.  So, God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

This passage reassures us that God's promises are steadfast, and we can confidently place our hope in Him.

Our love for God is rooted in our trust in His nature and His unwavering faithfulness to His promises.  Unlike our interactions with others, where we might question the truth of their words, we have no such doubts with God.  His reliability has been demonstrated time and again. This is the kind of faith that Martin Luther King Jr. referred to when he said:

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to climb up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

Let us move forward with the confidence of figures like Noah, Paul, and Martin Luther King Jr., assured that God is faithful and true to His word.  How can you be more confident knowing this truth?  Where can you replace uncertainty with God’s truth?  My prayer is that we move forward with no doubt firmly believing in who God is and the certainty of His promises.  Believe it or not.