God Smiles When We Trust - July 23, 2013

Hebrews 11:7
7 It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.

Hebrews 11:6
6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Imagine this scene: One day God comes to Noah and says, "I'm disappointed in human beings. In the entire world, no one but you thinks about me. But Noah, when I look at you, I start smiling. I'm pleased with your life, so I'm going to flood the world and start over with you and your family. I want you to build a giant ship that will save you and the animals."

There were three problems that could have caused Noah to doubt: 1) Noah had never seen rain because prior to the flood God irrigated the earth from the ground up; 2) Noah lived hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean; 3) There was the problem of rounding up all the animals and then caring for them.

But Noah trusted God completely, and that made God smile.

Trusting God completely means having faith that God knows what is best for your life. You expect him to keep his promises, help you with problems, and do the impossible when necessary.

Trusting is an act of worship. Just as parents are pleased when children trust them, your faith makes God happy. The Bible says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

In what areas of your life do you need to trust God completely?