“Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God.”Genesis 6:9 (NLT)
There’s only one way to get the kind of courage it took for Noah to keep going after receiving such a big dream from God: He had to stay close to God.
Hebrews 11:7 says, “Faith led Noah to listen when God warned him about the things that he could not see” (GW).
Noah heard God speak. Do you ever wonder why you don’t hear God speak? You hear God by getting near to God. You can't hear God when you're far away. You’ve got to get near to God.
That means you spend time with God every day—reading and studying the Bible, talking to him in prayer, being quiet, and just listening to God.
The Bible says that Noah “walked faithfully with God” (Genesis 6:9 NIV). Another translation of this verse says that Noah “walked in close fellowship with God” (NLT). When you walk with someone, that means you are near to them.
Walking with someone implies several other things. First, it implies affiliation. In other words, you're not ashamed to be with them. You're not worried about telling people you follow Jesus.
Second, the Bible tells us in Amos 3:3 that two people cannot walk together unless they agree. When you walk with God, you agree to go where he wants to go and do what he wants you to do. You are obedient to his will.
Third, walking with God means you are in alignment. If you're walking with God, you'll be out of step with the world. You’ll do things differently than other people because God’s way is countercultural.
Walking with God is affiliation, agreement, and alignment with his Word and his will. Noah walked with God, and he wasn't afraid of disapproval or rejection or criticism or even a worldwide flood. He knew that when you’re walking with God, you're near to God, and there is nothing to fear.
Rick Warren is an innovative pastor, renowned author, and global influencer known for founding Saddleback Church, the Purpose Driven Network, the PEACE Plan, and Hope for Mental Health. He has written several best-selling books, including The Purpose Driven Life, which has sold over 35 million copies in 200 languages. Time magazine named Warren the most influential spiritual leader in America and one of the 100 most influential people in the world. Since stepping down from the lead pastor role at Saddleback in 2022, Warren has continued to inspire people through his Daily Hope Devotional and podcast Pastor Rick’s Daily Hope. His first book in a decade, Created to Dream, was released in April 2023.
For more Daily Hope with Rick Warren, please visit pastorrick.com!
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