What was Noah's focus?

Sometimes when I read the stories of people in the Bible I like to think of myself in that specific situation. I like to put a little "flesh and blood" on the Bible characters and ponder what it would have been like standing in their shoes.

Noah has always been of utmost interest to me because of one verse in the book of Genesis:

Gen 6:22 Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.

Now God did not ask Noah to do a small task but to do something that had never been pondered. God asked Noah not only to build an ark but to believe that God would fill it with the animals and sustain all aboard during a great time of judgment. Now what do you think during this time was Noah's focus?

Everyday Noah would get up, eat his cheerios and go out to continue building this ark. Through all the scorns and sneers Noah continued and not only did he continue but warned the people of the coming judgment. He was one of the least successful men in all the Bible having a maximum of 7 people come to Christ through his ministry yet day by day Noah did as God commanded (as it is noted thrice in Gen 6:22 two times and Gen 7:5).

What kept Noah moving forward day by day as the world grew more and more corrupt? How did he handle the ridicule and attacks on both him and his household? Do you think his kids ever doubted what God had said to Noah and if so how did he cope with their doubts? Building an ark is hard work, do you think after hitting his thumb for the fiftieth time and pulling out the sixth splinter of the day he wanted to give up?

Hebrews gives us a glimpse of what kept him going day after day for 120 years:


Heb 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

In reverent fear...What was Noah's focus? Reverence and fear of an unchangeable, all powerful, grace filled God that was worthy of his life and obedience. Today, God is calling like minded people to do the same...the question is do you have a reverent fear of God and if so are you willing to obey?