RAW SpiritualitySample

Day 2: Waterline

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes… For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” – Romans 1:16-17 (NIV)

Faith needs integrity. It needs faith in the integrity of what or who you believe in.

And then it also needs integrity to keep the faith of what or who you believe in.

If you think about an acrobat walking on a wire that spans between two buildings, the acrobat needs to have a lot of faith in that wire, the building structures, and the way the wire is connected between these buildings. Yet, the faith of this acrobat can only be seen in his step-by-step integrity, or conviction, to walk this wire. His faith is shown by walking the line with integrity. One wrong step, one unfocused glance, one doubt or insecurity, all of which can result in his downfall.

The integrity produced by our faith is the proof of the faith we proclaim.

If we are to take God at His Word, we are also to live according to His Word.

Noah was a man of faith-proven integrity. His faith proved his integrity, and his integrity proved his faith. Like the ark he was commissioned to build, Noah’s character was also above board, able to handle the storm. And just as God was specific with every detail of the ark’s construction, He was also interested in the specifics of Noah’s character. It must have been a relief, however, for Noah to receive these very clear specifications about the ark. If I had to be the first person to build a boat for the first time in human history, and that boat had to survive the wrath of God, I’d be very relieved if God would be very specific regarding the details.

The ark passed the waterline test, and so did Noah’s character. A boat’s waterline is, you guessed it, the line reached by the water it’s in. To pass the waterline test, a boat needs to keep water out from entering its bowel below the waterline. As such, if there’s a leak below the waterline, the boat’s integrity is jeopardized; it takes in water and eventually sinks. God was as invested in Noah’s character as He was in the integrity of the ark that would rescue Noah and his family. And Noah showed his own character by the diligence with which he went about the construction of the vessel that would save humanity.

God wants to be involved in the specifics of your life just as much as He was involved in the specifics of the ark. He is as much invested in your growth and integrity as He was invested in the waterline of the vessel that would save humanity. God cares about the work of your hands, your interactions with others, and the integrity behind your tasks and relationships.

Think about this: God met with Noah through the work, in the workshop, at the woodshed, and together they secured the waterlines of both the ark and architect. It was not in the works or places of ritual or religion, but rather the marketplace that Noah encountered God, and people also encountered Noah as a man of God.

Discover Deeper:

» How have you (if ever) experienced God being involved with specific things in your life? If not, how might you have been missing out on His involvement?

» What specific parts of your character might God be challenging you on? Those things that need to be above board to pass the waterline test of integrity…

» How can you live a life of greater integrity and stronger character, both exalting and experiencing God at work and through your relationships?