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In Times of Quitting
The Sole of a Dove’s Foot
Noah sent forth a dove. God sent for a lamb (Jesus). God remembered Noah and every living thing. There was water all across the earth; even the mountain’s highest peaks were under water. Noah, his family of eight and the animals God led into the ark were afloat upon the waters of the earth. Noah preached one hundred and twenty years about the coming of the great flood. However, the people in the days of Noah laughed and made fun of him. Before the flood there hadn’t been one drop of water to fall to the earth.
How is your relationship with Lord? Is it all that it should be? Are you liken unto the people in the days of Noah who doubted and lived in unbelief? Are you one of those who have to see the first raindrop fall before you will believe? Or, do you have to see a dark cloud in the sky before you have the faith you need?
God told Noah that it was going to rain and to warn the people about the coming flood. I believe, when that first drop of rain fell and the clouds became dark, they realized that God has never lied. After the flood, God said He would send His son Jesus Christ to die for the sins of all mankind.
On a hill outside Jerusalem called Calvary, Jesus Christ died. On the third day He rose from the dead; God has never lied. At any time now, God will send Jesus back to gather His people (His church); God has never lied. Are you ready? Can you believe?
On the seventh month and the seventeenth day, the ark rested upon Mount Ararat. At the end of the 40 days, Noah opened up the window of the ark and sent forth a raven. It went forth, to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. He also sent forth a dove, from him, to see if the waters were abated from the face of the ground. But, the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot and she returned back to the ark. Noah sent forth a dove but God sent forth a lamb.
God sent His son into the world; He gave His son’s life, His love, for us all to be free and live forever. Jesus found little to no rest when He was here on this earth. Yet, He was the perfect sacrifice for us and our sins that by and through Him we could be forgiven and set free from the earthly curse of the devil, hell and the grave.
Noah sent forth a dove into a flooded world destroyed by water because of sin. God sent forth Jesus the Lamb of God. By the shedding of His blood we have the remission of our sins; if we accept Him. The dove went out but found no rest and returned to the ark. Jesus the lamb came, died, rose from the dead and returned to God the father. When the dove returned back to Noah, he pulled the dove unto him and back into the ark (love). Maybe the Lord is reaching out unto you. Maybe he wants to share His love with us. Noah stayed another seven days in the ark before he sent forth the dove a second time. And in the evening, the dove returned to Noah with an olive leaf in her mouth. Are we ready for the second coming of the Lord? Will He find us ready to go? Or, will He find us unprepared? The harvest is plentiful. The fields are ripe and ready for the harvest. The second time the dove returned she brought forth ready fruit from her labor (the olive leaf); it was a sign unto Noah. Noah stayed seven more days and then sent forth the dove a third time. The dove never returned unto him. That’s the way it is with Jesus. When He comes it will be over and there will be no more choices. Will you be ready? (I wonder why Noah sent forth a female dove.) I believe it was because Noah knew she would look for a place to build her new home; a place to build her nest to start a new life in a new world (speculation on my part). How is it with us today? Are we looking for the new life and new world, Heaven, God has promised for all who will come and accept Him; God has never lied. It will be a place with no more suffering, sickness, pain, tears, sorrow or torment. Keep the faith. Keep looking up; God has never lied. Noah sent forth a dove. God sent forth a lamb.
John 14:5
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” And the two men that stood by said unto the disciples, “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Now, that is something to lift any head and stir any heart to keep looking up. We all go through the valley. We all have our share of trials, temptations and troubles. But, it is far better to face it heads up and look up instead of facing it face down with little to no hope while battling with depression, unbelief and doubt. I believe, if we take a look around and get our minds and eyes off of self, most of the time, we can always find someone else in worse shape than we are.
Psalm 50:15
And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Psalm 34:4
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Facing life and all that it has to give means a world of difference in how we face it. It matters about our attitude and outlook on life. A lot of the time that is what determines the outcome. First, face it with Jesus in the Holy Spirit with God’s word and look up. Second, stand on God’s promise, apply His word and follow His Spirit and keep looking up. And third, praise God, Christ His son and the leadership of the Holy Spirit with all our heart. We have to realize what He did for us, what He’s going to do and keep looking up.
Lamentations 3:41
Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.
Our faith gets weak, our trust slips away, our patience runs out and we are so busy searching for the answer while looking down that we miss the blessing of looking up to have victory over defeat. We should keep the blood bought victory upon our heart and mind daily, and know in spirit and truth that greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. Right! Then why aren’t we looking up. Today, we need to let go and let God work and manifest in our heart and life. We have to take up our cross daily and achieve that which God would have us to achieve and lift up our heart with our hands. Also, we need to hold up our head for God is almighty, all powerful and He is still on the throne.
Along life’s journey, we may only see the dust from our travels. But, it is joy in our heart to know and see the Lord stirring the winds and know that we are a part of it.
− b. a. troutt