Plans for the Ark that Noah built were given by God. They were very precise and each part of that plan was symbolic of some aspect of the regeneration of mankind. There has been much written on this subject and I’ll not take a lot of time repeating too many of the details. The 300 cubit length certainly represents complete deliverance.

Another instance in the Old Testament that uses this same 300 figure is the account of Gideon and his army. Gideon started amassing his army in the flesh, but by the time God finished directing him in this effort, he was in the spirit and had reduced his army from over 30,000 men to only 300.

God was using both of these events to bring himself glory. It certainly wasn’t Noah’s idea to build this Ark. God instructed him every step of the way. I’m sure he took a great deal of ridicule from passersby as they inquired of his continual labor on this huge boat. After all, who would need a boat on dry land and there was surely no way to transport this big vessel to water. When Noah was pressed for an explanation, as he must have surely been on many occasions, how must the people have responded when Noah told them that God was going to cause it to rain? Rain? Who ever had seen rain? So, when the fullness of God’s timing came about and the rain began, who do you think those people thought about? Well, Noah, of course, but they didn’t forget that Noah told them God was the designer of this ship, not himself, and that God was going to bring the rain.

What glory would there have been for God had Gideon won his battle with over 30,000 men? Surely Gideon would have received the glory for the victory. But when he submitted himself to be directed by God and God gave him the most unbelieveable, seemingly impossible, plan that produced such astounding results – everyone who heard about this victory had to admit that God must surely have intervened for Gideon.

What is man’s true purpose on planet earth? Did God create us only to live life unto ourselves – to do as we please and live any kind of lifestyle we choose? Or did God have a far greater plan in creating mankind? Are we not to be a reflection of God on this earth? As I was thinking on this recently, I saw each of us as a movie screen – a place where the character of God can be displayed to the world.

If you went to your local movie house, paid for a ticket to see an advertised film, entered into the theatre, took your seat, and heard the projector begin its forward motion, yet never saw the movie projected onto the screen because of curtains drawn over the screen, what benefit would you gain from the experience? Well, people of the world who spend time in our presence leave just as empty and uninformed as you would at a theatre with a blank screen if we never give God the control of our life and allow him to use us as a screen to project through. It is His desire to have is sons, His creation, be a reflection of his nature and character. He desires that we allow Him to have total control of our lives and guide our every step. This kind of total surrender will produce the greatest peace and joy possible in this life and give maximum opportunity for the manifested presence of God to be seen in us by others.

Since God created this entire universe and everything that resides within it, He is the only one that truly knows the total plan and purpose for our planet, our nation, our city, our neighborhood, our own personal lives. It always seems foolish to me that man would arrogantly presume to know more than God in any given situation. Our finite minds are no match for the infinite wisdom and knowledge of the creator. And yet we find ourselves questioning everything He does and each direction He gives. I’m assuming, of course, that the reader has taken the time to submit their efforts to the direction of God and given Him opportunity to input each step of their lives.

It seems that far too often, we creations spend our lives either denying the existence of our creator or challenging His authority in our own lives. This position of separation from God produces no good thing in us and, conversely, creates much strife in our own lives and, many times, in the lives of those around us.

So, what can we learn from the Ark that Noah built and the Ark of the Covenant that resided within the Tabernacle of Moses? What did they represent to the people of each era? In each of these two Arks, they represented the manifested presence of God among His people. God has always wanted to dwell with man. He created man to fellowship with him. I believe Adam had sweet fellowship with God in the Garden. He walked with God and talked with Him daily. He did nothing without God’s direction until the day that Adam chose to give God second place in his life. He now had this mate that God had created for him and suddenly he chooses to place more trust in her word than he does in the word of God. Sounds a little like idolatry, doesn’t it? Well, that was the sin in the garden that brought death to Adam. He had been given clear instructions from God what to do concerning the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but he took Eve’s appealing words over God’s instruction. His choice opened the door to division between him and God. Fellowship was never the same after that and the consequence God had warned of finally came upon him.

There is eternal life only in God. Listening to the opinions of those around us will only bring death, in one form or another. He alone is the light of the world and the life-giving force for mankind. He is spirit and there is no flesh in Him. Adam was created a spirit being in the garden. He was given an earth suit to wear, but flesh didn’t enter the garden until Adam chose to consult with another creation rather than with God.

Nutritionists will tell us that "we are what we eat." There is truth in what they say concerning the flesh body we live in. But I tell you that we are, in the spirit, what we feed on as well. If we regard man’s opinion over God, we are feeding on corrupt food and we will surely be opening ourselves up to the possibility of being poisoned at some time.

What is the point of this brief article? My purpose in writing is to point you to a life of continual communication with God…submitting yourself to His total control, seeking Him in everything you do, taking the time to listen only to Him and then doing exactly whatever He tells you…and waiting when He is silent. Doing nothing may be a greater challenge for some than obeying clear instructions. But timing is just as important as listening to and following details of His plan for your life.

You must see yourself as just a movie screen. God desires to show His movie to the world around you. He wants to show them how to love unconditionally - how to be pure, humble, thoughtful, kind, considerate, lovely, peaceful, and joyful. And, best of all, He wants to do it through you.

Each of us is continually projecting something onto our screen for the world to see. Won’t you give God the opportunity to use you to project His uplifting, encouraging, peaceful message to the world around you? Let him be the projector that sends the image to your screen for others to see.