So as I was reading Genesis this morning, the following thought occurred to me:
It would be easy for Noah to think that God had forgotten him. Holed up in a dark, smelly, confined space, he was stuck with only the rain to listen to.
40 days and 40 nights, and then the rain stops. If I was Noah, at this point I'd be like "Ok then, rain stopped, where are you Lord?" He'd lost family, friends, neighbours, life as he knew it, all that was 'safe'. The rain had stopped but he's still stuck.
Still he has to wait.
150 days.
5 months.
And then I read some of the most precious words in verse 1 of chapter 8,
"BUT GOD REMEMBERED..."
God remembered Noah. He wasn't forgotten. God knew exactly where Noah was. Nearly all common translations have these exact words. However, in the Amplified version we read that "God earnestly remembered..."
To do something earnestly is to do it passionately, sincerely, eagerly, enthusiastically, fervently, ardently, devotedly, wholeheartedly... God earnestly remembered Noah and He earnestly remembers you. God is earnestly pursuing you - wholeheartedly, devotedly - He remembers you.
God earnestly "sent a wind to blow across the earth" so that Noah's flood waters would subside. And He is earnestly remembering you.
The flood may not go down as quickly as you expect or want it to, Noah had to wait over 12.5 months before he was able to leave the boat, but God remembered Noah, and God remembers you.
Earnestly. He remembers.
