Faith, Expectation, and Divine Guidance: Lessons from Noah

Noah knew that God would in due time let him out of the Ark he was quite sure that the Lord had not put him into the ark to make a great coffin of it that he and all those living creatures that went in with him should perish there and because he believed in God therefore he removed the covering of the Ark and looked abroad expecting by and by to see not only the tops of the mountains but also dry and green earth once more true Faith often goes to the window if your faith turns her face to the wall and expects nothing I do not think it is genuine faith faith has eyes and therefore she looks a far off and she often watches as the Watchman of the night looks for the gray dawn of the morning. [00:32:48]

Having prayed and having believed let us expect let us open the window and look out God never failed an expectant people yet but a great many of his people fail to expect and if you do not expect you are not likely to receive David said my soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him and when your expectation is from him it will not be disappointed it is a great pity when we keep the shutters up so that we cannot look out of the window to see the dry land next because Noah expected the Earth to be dry he sent out the Raven and when the Raven did not answer to his purpose he sent out the dove after the Dove came back with no Tidings he waited 7 days and then sent her out again and when she returned with only an olive leaf in her mouth he waited seven days more and then sent her out again oh dear friends often send out your doves be looking out for blessings you have asked for them God has promised to give them send out your doves to see whether the blessings are not there and if you do so constantly and perseveringly verily I say unto you you shall have your reward. [01:40:32]

Still notice that Noah when he had the best evidence that he could get that the Earth was dry did not dare go out of the Ark till God opened the door so gather all the information you possibly can about your position and act according to the rules of common sense but after you have done that still wait upon God when you know from your Ravens and your doves that the Earth is getting dry do not come out till he that shut the door opens it for you dear people of God I wish that we had more of that old habit of looking to Providence we have become so wise nowadays that we do not require the fiery cloudy pillar we run without Divine guidance but Mark you we often have to run back again we are guests at the table of Providence and if we will let God carve for us our plate will always have a sufficiency on it but if we get carving for ourselves we shall cut our fingers and not cut much else and we shall have great cause to be ashamed that instead of trusting God we took to trusting ourselves do not trust your Raven do not trust your Dove trust your God and if you go where he guides you you will go the right way even if it should be a rough way and you will have to say surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. [03:12:00]

Now if you are one of Christ's doves you will never rest till you go back to him time was when you could have found pleasure in the ways of sin but you cannot do so now you may try to find it but you cannot when you were a raven you might have done so but now that the Holy Spirit has made a dove of you you are spoiled for the Raven's ways when a true child of God wanders into sin at any time and goes back to the old haunts he thinks to himself I used to enjoy myself in this place of amusement I used to make Merry with such and such company the pipe and the bowl were once like heaven on Earth to me but now he says I do not know how it is but these things seem so vapid so empty there is not the life there is not the vivacity about them that I knew in my younger days it seems to be all a mere Hollow sham now ah my friend it is not those things that have altered it is you that the grace of God has changed if God means you to live in heaven you shall never find your heaven in this world if he has chosen you to be his and means you to be his and has put his Spirit within you you must be always Restless till you come back and find rest in him. [07:22:40]

Oh bird of the weary Wing he is not weary of you oh bird of the wet Wing that has been soiled in the filthy flood he will not reject you he washed you once he will wash you yet again he waiteth to be gracious Jesus loves to receive backsliders it is the joy of his heart not only to make a sheep out of a goat but to find one of his sheep that has gone astray not only to adopt a stranger into his family but to restore the prodigal son that is the meaning of that Parable it is the backsliders parable oh that you would understand it and know that the infinite mercy of God is as ready to receive a returning backslider as Noah was to receive his wandering Dove. [09:15:20]

Our report is that there is nothing in the world upon which we can rest the soul of our foot the world is said to be progressing advancing improving but we cannot Discover it the same sin the same filthiness the same universally abounding unbelief that our fathers complained of we are obliged to complain of still and we are we we with the world weary with the 19th century and all its boasted civilization there is nothing upon which the soul of our foot can rest what if the church asks one well look at the church too there is nothing to rest on there there is much for which to be thankful but there is nothing that can content a spirit that seeks after truth and Holiness I speak what I do know for with weary Wings have I fled across the waters and with anxious eye have I scanned The Horizon but there is no place of rest for the soul of my foot what then what then is the servant of God weary with his flight see what Noah did to the dove for this is what the Lord will do to his servant he put forth his hand and took her and pulled her in unto him into the ark oh dear dear child of God if thou can not rest in the church thou can rest in Christ if thou can not rest in the world thou can rest in the Lord he pulled her in unto him it is a delicious sensation to get away from all men and all things to Christ himself he never seems so sweet as when all else is bitter he never appears so substantial as when all else melts before you he pulled her in unto him she had done her work she had taken her flight she had made her investigation now she has come back and she is in his bosom he pulled her in unto him may that be the portion of all my dear friends in Christ who at this time feel heavy about the signs of the Times May the Lord draw you into nearer dearer sweeter fellowship with himself than you have ever enjoyed before and this will be your best reward. [10:39:20]

I do not know how Noah caught his Dove whether by the wings or the legs or the neck but he did catch her and pulled her into the ark now try if you can to lay hold of a soul for Christ get a firm grip on it this is not child's play he that can catch doves with his hand is a wise man and he that would win souls must be wise try to catch Souls if you can but do it gently remember that they are doves and therefore be very tender and very gentle with them but being doves they are apt to fly away therefore hold them fast and do not let them go perhaps they will not like you to touch them never mind that go on as mildly and lovingly as you can yet do seek to give them a pull and do not rest until they are with you in the ark that is to say till they are in Christ till they are trusting him till they are resting in him till his precious blood has washed them and they are saved as you trust you are. [29:05:20]

I do not think that we are half Earnest enough in dealing with our fellow men I remember a young man who when dying said to his brother I'm afraid I am lost my brother and I cannot help saying to you why were you not more Earnest about my salvation his elder brother answered John I have spoken to you once or twice about your soul once or twice replied the other you ought to have been always at me well but I did frequently speak to you about Divine things but said he if you knew that I was perishing why did you not shake me why did you not do something unusual with me why did you not weep over me why did you not force me to think my soul is lost and you have shown but very little care about it perhaps that was a very hard thing to say and an unkind thing and a self excusing thing but do you not think that some people might say that of you and of me we have never been Earnest enough in seeking the salvation of their souls. [30:18:40]

Oh that we were as Earnest about The Souls of men as we can sometimes be about their bodies do try then you who love the Lord to pull them in even as Noah pulled the dove in unto himself into the ark I leave the text with you when I cannot preach I always wish that all of you may be preaching if the preacher seems to speak feebly take up what he has said and work at it and go and do better with it and if you will do so it will be better than if I alone had done better the Lord bless you for Jesus Christ's sake amen. [32:14:00]