Shut In

Andrew and Suzanne

Yesterday, the husband of a good friend of mine went home to be with the Lord. Andrew, a young husband and father of two pre-schoolers, fought his leukemia valiantly and with a demonstration of faith seldom seen. He was a scholar with, according to worldly wisdom, a long life of great contribution to society and to the Christian world ahead of him.

God had other plans. Many will struggle with his death. Many will toss the “why?” question back and forth in frustration and anguish. I have no answers.

But as I was reading Genesis 7 this morning I thought of Andrew’s wife, Suzanne. I thought of his family. I thought about others who are passing through deep, deep waters and perhaps struggling with those same questions.

After Noah had built the ark and gathered all the animals into it, the Scriptures say: “Then the Lord shut him in” (7:16).

The skies opened up as they had never before been known to do. The fountains of the deep let go of the water reserved in them. The world, as men had known it came to an end, a terrible, tragic end.

But Noah was safe. His family was safe. The Lord had shut them in.

The ark becomes a picture of the security of the relationship the believer in Jesus Christ has. It is a security that covers the present and the future. No matter how high the water gets the “boat will float.”

I thought of Suzanne and others and thanked the Lord that God has them “shut in.” They are surrounded by Him, upheld by Him, protected by Him, safe in Him. And my prayer is that despite the terror of the moment, the sadness of these days, that they will know that security as they have never known it before.