Friday, August 7, 2015

August 8, 2015

"It (love) always trusts, always hopes....." I Corinthians 13:7

I wouldn't be a Christian for nearly 60 years if I hadn't learned to always give God the benefit of the doubt and to remain hopeful in the face of discouragement. I am thankful I learned early in life that when I wave the will God makes the way!

When I always want to trust and always want to hope, God enables me through His Spirit to do those things.

One of my inspirations in this effort is Noah! Here's his story as recorded in Hebrews 11 - the Hall of Faith:

"By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith." Hebrews 11:7

Here's the short on the story of Noah, he repeatedly (120 years?) gave God the benefit of the doubt and continually hoped for the salvation of his family.

For the rest of the story, Noah had several reasons to doubt! Let us count the ways:

Noah had never seen rain 
He had no concept of a flood
Noah had never built a boat 
Possibly he had never seen a boat

BUT, Noah gave God the benefit of the doubt at every point every day!

Imagine every day for over a century Noah arose and went to work building something he had never built to prepare for something he knew nothing about! He had to cut the trees, drag the logs back to his place, mill the lumber from the wood, make the nails, make the pitch for sealing the cracks, build the tools, and endure the ridicule of his neighbors the whole time he labored on the ark!

No wonder Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord!

No doubt, Noah found hope in the promise God had given him for the saving of his family!

The more you give God the benefit of the doubt the fewer doubts you will have and the more hope you will experience.

I think you can confidently say that Noah always trusted and always hoped. Therefore it is safe to say Noah loved God!

Will you love God today?

If you want to love Him and experience His love then give Him the benefit of the doubt at the very point where you are tempted to doubt!

As you do that you will find yourself being filled by God's hope and love!










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