Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
1 Peter 3:20
The story was once told of a soldier who was running away from enemy soldiers and, in his flight, entered a cave. As he hid in an interior portion of the cave, he prayed earnestly to God to save him. He asked that God send a mighty angel to guard the cave entrance so that the enemies wouldn’t find their way in. After his prayers, he listened in terror as the voices of the enemy soldiers became louder and louder. Then, he saw a tiny spider spinning its web furiously at the entrance of the place where he stayed. As the enemy soldiers entered the cave and searched from place to place, they got to where he hid. As one of them was about to enter, their leader stopped him.
‘He can’t be in there,’ he said. ‘The spider’s web shows that no one has entered this part recently.’
And with those words, they turned back and went out of the cave. The soldier wept in gratitude to God. He realized that God is as mighty to save with a mighty angel as He is to save with a tiny spider. He also realized that having a personal relationship with God was what guaranteed his safety.
The story of Noah’s ark reminds us of how dangerous life can be outside God. While Noah and his family found safety in God, the rest of the world perished. The ark might not have been the most sophisticated structure, but it was God’s choice of safety, and anyone who despised God’s choice was not safe. Every man is only as secure as whoever or whatever he trusts. If a man trusts in riches, power, or fame, he will eventually become disappointed when these uncertain things grow wings and fly away. (Proverbs 23:5). God is man’s only sure place, and His Kingdom is our eternal security. Just as the soldier in the story was delivered, those who abide in God’s Kingdom are assured of safety on all sides. Even when they are faced with the uncertainties of life, they are sure of victory.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
Psalm 34:19
The first step to becoming a citizen of God’s Kingdom is to be born again. So Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 (The Passion Translation):
“Nicodemus, listen to this eternal truth. Before a person can perceive God’s Kingdom, they must first experience a rebirth.”
God’s kingdom can only be assessed by those who have realized that the only way out of their sinfulness is to make Jesus the captain of their lives. When a man surrenders the Lordship of his life to Jesus, he becomes a part of God’s glorious kingdom. However, this is only the beginning of the journey to enjoying the rights and privileges of being a Kingdom Citizen. It is essential to know how to abide in the kingdom. It is also necessary to know Kingdom responsibilities so that one can walk worthy of the king at all times.
The next article will examine some of our responsibilities as Kingdom citizens.
Stay blessed.
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