STAND BY MY MANWe can open the bible to Genesis chapter 6 and begin to read the story of Noah. We can see that Noah was faithful, a man with a calling. A man who chose to follow God when all others would not. Don't you know Noah had passion? When God chose him to build the ark, Noah didn't back away, he planted his feet firm, stayed strong, and went to work.
But as we can see Noah standing, in verse 18 is where we see mention of Noah's family, his wife, sons, and their wives."But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall go into the ark-you, your sons, your wife, and your son's wives with you." God was not just saving Noah, but his family also. This is a family that allowed Noah to lead. We have a glimpse at the inside of this family. Their friends even turned away from them, making fun, and this family was left alone. Can you imagine? Can you see each day as others passed by mocking, laughing at the family who was building the huge boat?
But what catches my eye is Mrs. Noah. Yes, the woman, the wife, the mother in this family. It seems she stood by her man. If my husband heard from God that he was to build an ark, this huge boat for the flood, I may have turned my head and looked at him strangely saying, "Your kidding me, right?" After all, they had never even had rain! What in the world would they need this big boat for? What were they to get ready for? I would be thinking, "Gosh, Noah, we are going to be laughed at, and this is just not going to be fun!" Oh my, I can hear myself now. Okay, and if all the laughter and finger pointing would not have been enough, now we hear of animals? One animal in my house is enough. Daisy is plenty of work all by her little spoiled self, but to fill up our home with ALL the animals? Those cute, little accidents of hers are not too bad, but come on, cleaning up after all those animals? Now we are going to have animals with huge teeth, slimy, little critters, and big, fuzzy ones all gathered inside this boat, our home? I can just see myself in this situation. I don't think I would have been calm. I think I would have wondered if my husband was on drugs!
Can you see the work on this boat? Oh my, it was probably more than they ever expected, but isn't every call of God more than we expect, and something we could have never imagined? You just know who was cleaning up all that mess don't you?
See, this great and mighty man had a great and mighty woman by his side, walking with him. When God calls a man, He too is calling his family along for the adventure. Do you think she was a praying woman? I do. Do you think she lifted her husband up? I do. As I think of Noah, how can I leave his wife out? She is an important part of his story too. Her name is not mentioned, but many times, don't you feel that all you do goes unmentioned, and unnoticed? I think every woman can relate here, but we can also learn a great deal from this family, from this woman.
She didn't complain and say, "Oh Noah do you really have to work so hard? Must we board this ark? Can I go shopping first and get a cute outfit for the journey? Do we really have to take all these animals along, who is going to clean up after them?" If we are alike at all she probably feel in love with these animals the moment she began to care for them. She didn't seem fearful of hard work. It doesn't say she complained to Noah, but I think it would have said if she did. She could have easily seen Noah as crazy as the rest of the world did, packed her bags, leaving him to join those that would stay behind. But she didn't. She stayed by her man and that is an important picture for us to see love, respect and honor between a husband and wife.
I don't always agree with my husband. There are times I complain and don't want to follow him. My life would be much sweeter if I was a little more like Mrs. Noah, don't you know? When we love, respect, and honor God, we do the same for our husbands. As we shine before our husbands it can only give them encouragement to be the men God has called them to be. As they become those men, God becomes the spotlight, just as He was long ago when the first piece of wood was gathered for building the ark as Mrs. Noah stood by her man and her God.
I think my husband can be all he is to be if I am who I need to be in Christ. If I am living sold out for Christ my husband is going to see that and be blessed. I can lift him up each day, giving encouragement and prayer for the man I love. Too many times I complain about the little things, and ladies, this ark was no little thing. I can see Noah's wife there helping, giving, and praying for her husband to lead the way, to never give up, and to push forward when others were mocking him. His friends left him, and all around him was about to come to an end. She stood next to him, walking side by side, along with their children and their wives. This family who stood together, stayed together. I can close my eyes and grasp a picture of this family, this woman and wife. She was a woman of God. Although she may not have understood all the reasons why, she still followed in her faith and belief in God and His plan. I think Mrs. Noah is a perfect picture of a wife and mother who chose to follow and be a family that changed the world. Not many times do we get a fresh start, a new beginning, and this family was part of that plan. God has a plan for you and your family also. Take a lesson and learn from the Noah's, sometimes the greatest adventure is following along and seeing all what God has in store. All He needs are willing vessels, and boy did He have them aboard this vessel!
Proverbs 31 gives us a picture of the virtuous woman for us to learn from and strive to be. We can be the women God has called us to be when we choose to follow Him. And I think Mrs. Noah was this woman. A woman for all of us to look to, and learn from.
1 Peter 3:1-4 "Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."
