The “Work” of Grace

“Then God said to Noah, “Come out of the ark, you

and your wife and your sons and their wives.”

Genesis 8:15-16

Most scholars agree that Noah and his family were in the ark with all of the animals for about a year.

The ark is often seen as a symbol of Christ.

We are “in Christ’ just as Noah and his family were in the ark.

Gods’ grace that was extended to Noah is available, through Christ, to each of us.

We are not saved by works, but by grace.

But after we receive God’s salvation by grace; part of the evidence of our lives being “in Christ” is our good works.

Noah’s time on the ark was hardly a luxury cruise.

It’s not like Noah could send the elephants outside to relieve themselves. I would also imagine that in the course of the year shut up on the boat there were some unusual needs to be tended to because of the animals. 

Serving God in our lives is not always neat and tidy.

Sometimes we are called upon to minister in the dirt and grime of people who have soiled themselves thru sin and just need to know God still loves them and makes His grace available to them as well. 

    Just as Noah found a lot of hard work needed to be done on the ark even after the grace of God shut him and his family in; we too will find that serving God means serving others when they may not be at their best and are far from ‘lovely’ and ‘well-behaved’. I wonder how many times Ham, Shem or Japheth had to remove the fox from the hen house!

In my life, and in yours, grace does not mean we cease from work!

Our works, however, now give evidence of the grace of God that is in our lives!