“Blind Faith”
Through my drawing, Blind Faith, I wanted to depict myself walking on a path that is completely dark. I am holding a lantern, only able to see what is right in front of me. I am essentially blind to everything else around me. Often when walking in complete dependence of the Lord, we don’t know what is next. The Lord gives us a task one step at a time and even if it does not make sense at all in the moment, He just requires our “yes” and we have to have faith that He knows the end from the beginning and will work everything out for our good. I have been learning how to put this into practice over the past few years. It was one of those things where my head knew this truth, but my heart had not internalized it. God would show me that next step that He needs me to take, and because it did not make any earthly sense, I would run the other way and try to figure things out on my own. After trying my own way and failing every time, I learned that it is best to just obey what the Lord says to do in the first place. Concerning Noah, Hebrews 11:7 NIV states, “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.” When fear comes, our initial impulse is to run back to a place that is comfortable, however, staying in that place will never bring you to God’s best for you. As followers of Christ, we should have a holy fear of God where our reverence for Him trumps our fear of man or the unknown, as was the case with Noah.
In the Bible, there are many instances where God gives a command to do something that is completely out of the norm and walk by faith. One of these can be found in Genesis 6-8 through the story of Noah. In those days, the earth was corrupt and wicked. Because of this, God told Noah that He will judge the earth and those in it. He instructed Noah to build an ark, where his family and two of every kind of animal would lodge, because He had planned to bring this judgement through a flood. Noah simply obeyed. There were so many unknowns that the Lord did not provide to him. At this time, it had not even rained in the earth yet, so a flood was unheard of. In addition, he did not know when this flood would occur, how the animals would get on the boat, or how long he would be sealed in for. The flood happened 120 years after God commanded Noah to build the ark, yet Noah remained in faithful obedience. Noah building this huge ark in a dry land with no rain, waiting and working for 120 years, would likely subject him to mocking and ridicule. He, however, had such reverence and a fear of the Lord that no man’s opinion can sway him from completing God’s command. God provided the information necessary for each step that Noah had to take at the time he needed it. Charles Spurgeon in his sermon, Noah’s faith, fear, obedience, and salvation states,
“Here was Noah filled with such a holy fear of himself, that he took care to do what the Lord bade him, even to the most minute particular. He did not choose another sort of wood, nor alter the shape of the vessel, nor make more stories, nor more windows, nor more doors; but he distrusted his own judgment, and leaned not to his own understanding. He did exactly what he was told to do, and thus left the consequences with the Lord who commanded him. He feared his own wisdom: for he knew that man is like to vanity, and no more to be relied upon than the mist of the morning.”
Instead of acting in half-obedience and relying on his own understanding, Noah was in complete dependence on the Lord down to the smallest details. What wood he should use, to how many windows, God spoke to him concerning it all. The Lord in His timing even brought the animals two by two to get aboard the ark and shut Noah and his family inside. In the end, by God’s providence, Noah and his family were saved from the flood and the Lord blessed them. God never goes back on His promises and if He is calling you to step out in faith, He will not leave you in the dark. He leads one act of obedience at a time. Proverbs 4:11-13 NIV states, “I instruct you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” Just like carrying a lantern through a dark path, He lights up the step that He wants you to take so you will not stumble.
References
Guzik, D. (2025, April 10). Enduring word bible commentary Genesis chapter 6. Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary
Spurgeon, C. (1890, June 1). Noah’s faith, fear, obedience, and salvation. The Spurgeon Center. https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/noahs-faith-fear-obedience-and-salvation/
