For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
– Ephesians 3:14-20
We live in stormy waters – government bailouts, conflict in the Middle East, unemployment, downsizing, erosion of the family, loss of a moral compass, wrong being called right, school shootings, economic uncertainty, political chaos, reality TV, global warming (if you buy the hype), relativism ruling the day, attack on biblical authority, marriages and families falling apart, worship wars, pigs gone wild (oops sorry not politically correct: meant to say H1N1 virus), shortage of the flu vaccine – add to all of that and now visitors from outer space have come to live at peace with us…no wait that’s only on television, whew!
Evidence would seem to suggest the world’s going to hell in a hand basket. In the midst of such conflicting demands upon our life, where will we find shelter from the storm? In such a tsunami of uncertainty, fear and anxiety how will we ever survive? How will we be carried along and be navigated through the storm? What will give us stability? Where will we find comfort? Where will our weak and frail and tired souls find strength?
We heed the advice of God through Jeremiah, “This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.‘ (6:16).” We look for the ancient path. We search for the good way and then we walk in it.
Noah lived in stormy waters both socially, figuratively and eventually for real (a global flood- now that’s a storm!). Scripture records that mankind was so wicked and perverse and every inclination of their heart was “only evil all the time” that the Lord was grieved. Imagine living in that kind of world. Imagine trying to walk with God in that social climate? Man was so wicked God was going to destroy everything and everyone and start over.
Think of Moses. His family living under cruel conditions as slaves in a foreign country. A government and power that was systematically ensuring population control and permanent slavery by extinguishing all male babies that were born. Life was hard for Moses’ family.
Yet in each of these instances and stories a tebah (this word used only in these two accounts in scripture) provided stability, comfort, strength and hope in the midst of the difficulties and overwhelming circumstances. One a tiny wicker basket the other a slightly larger basket made of gopher wood. In each instance God provided a “lifeboat”.
One of these tebahs has been the focus of much study and debate – Noah’s tebah – or ark. One particular study of interest to me is a 1993 scientific study headed by Dr. Seon Won Hong (a world-class research scientist) at the world-class ship research center, KRISO, in South Korea. They wanted to see if the dimensions for the ark as recorded in scripture would produce a seaworthy vessel. Their discovery, “The proportions of Noah’s Ark carefully balanced the conflicting demands of stability (resistance to capsizing), comfort (“sea-keeping”), and strength.” The instructions for the Ark given by God to Noah were optimal for what it would go through. While the study is more clinical than spiritual, the researches found Noah’s Ark is clearly one of the top performers. It was not manipulated to become the outright winner in the final ranking. This study certainly answers any skeptic who would claim Noah’s Ark is not a feasible wooden vessel. Did you know that the Ark was able to endure waves over 100’ feet high!
Another interesting side note is that the study was conducted and headed by Dr. Hong- an evolutionist. One who does not claim to believe in God or His Word discovered that God’s Word is true! Isn’t exciting to believe in the Bible and to know that God’s Word is true! Isn’t exciting to be a Christian!
Ok – now back to the Ark and its optimal dimensions. If you change the dimensions so that you have more comfort (lengthen the ship), then you risk fracturing the hull. If you alter the ark to make it stronger (make it higher and shorter), then you risk capsizing. If you want greater stability (making the ark shorter and wider), then you have seasick passengers with greater potential for injury. You can have some fun by going to http://www.worldwideflood.com/ark/hull_form/hull_optimization.htm to learn more.
All in all, as the study revealed, Noah’s Ark was optimal in height (strength), in breadth or width (stability) and in length (comfort). It, as well as the little wicker basket that housed Moses, provided the strength, stability and comfort that were needed. Amazing how God provides! Amazing how wide and long and high and deep is God’s provision for his people! The love of Christ is our tebah – our “lifeboat”. Christ’s love provides the strength and comfort and stability our souls long for. Christ is the optimal “lifeboat” that carries us and sustains us not just for 40 days and 40 nights but for all eternity!
Listen to these words from Jesus: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” – John 15:9-10 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” – John 14:1 “I” – John 14:16-17 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. – Matthew 11:28
There are so many comforting, stabilizing and strengthening words for us as God’s children that no matter how high the waves get or stormy the seas of life become we can trust in our God – words that bring comfort, confidence and calm. Listen to the Psalms: Psalms 27:1-4 – “The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Psalms 46:1-3, 10-11 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
I believe that Paul was thinking of God’s provision for Noah and Moses along with his knowledge of the comfort, strength and stability from the Psalms as he -carried along by the Spirit- wrote these words, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
Christ’s love inwardly renews us day by day while outwardly we and things waste away. Christ’s love is our tebah that allows us to look upon our present sufferings and trials as light a momentary. Christ’s love keeps us from capsizing in the storms of pressure, perplexity, persecution, and beatings so that we are not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned and not destroyed. With Christ’s love we do not loose heart! (2 Corinthians 4). With Christ as our tebah we say, “If God is for us, who can be against,” and “We are convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8 ) A tiny tebah carried Moses, a bit larger tebah carried Noah, his family, and the animals he took but it is not some thing that carries, comforts, strengthens and stabilizes us. It is someone- a person whose love is everlasting, eternal and secure. Jesus Christ is my lifeboat – all of my life is in Him. We sing it, “My life is in You, Lord. My strength is in You, Lord, My hope is in You, Lord” Or at camp we sang, “With Christ [as your boat] (original words Christ in your boat) you can smile at the storm”. Or perhaps we need to stand at the crossroads and ask for the ancient path of our foundation. Let’s look and listen to this good way and walk in it:
1. How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in his excellent word;
What more can he say than to you he hath said?
You, who unto Jesus, for refuge have fled.
2. “Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed!
For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
3. “When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
4. “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design,
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
5. “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes:
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never – no, never, no, never forsake!”
These scriptures connect to each verse of the song
v.1 Hebrews 13:6 – So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
v.2 Isaiah 41:10 -So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
v.3Isaiah 43:2 – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
v.4 2 Corinthians 12:9 -But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
v.5 Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Oh may I, we grasp, how high!, how wide!, how long!, and how deep! Is the love of Christ so that in these stormy and unstable times, we may find the strength, comfort and stability our hearts and souls long for and need. I’ll close with these wonderful words of comfort, strength and stability from Psalm 19 and let us rest in the tebah of Christ our Savior and Lord! For the director of music.
A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (NIV)