When someone requires “more” from you it can be a bit frustrating to both hear and execute such a task. Asking for more from someone can come off as asking beyond what their physical limits can provide. Parents would ask their children to “study more” or to “focus more” in school. Children would ask their parents for “more gifts” at Christmas or on Birthdays, or “more money” to go out with friends to buy something in a store or online from Amazon or eBay. “More” can require, at times, going beyond what we planned or even budgeted. It would definitely require going beyond what we are accustomed to. To sum it up “more” would require “going beyond”.

The Case of Noah

The book of Genesis chapter 5 introduces to us the person known as Noah. He is most famous for building a huge ark (boat) that secured him, his wife, his three sons and their wives and a variety of land animals and birds as the world was being cleansed by a flood of divine proportions. Genesis 5:32 states that Noah was 500 years old and he became the father of his sons Shem, Ham and Japheth. Genesis 7:6 then says that Noah was 600 years old when the flood waters came on the Earth. It is said by some theologians that it automatically means that it took Noah about 100 years or so to build the ark. Of course, since God told him, in Genesis 6:18, that Noah, his wife and his sons and their wives will enter the ark, and since Noah had his sons at around age 500 years, it probably would have been less since Noah’s sons might have been little boys when God called him to build the ark. Or maybe God looked into their futures and mentioned their wives one time.

That’s not the point for this topic though. The point is that a 500 year old man was asked to build a huge boat, in an area that was far from a port city or water while waiting on a flood to come. One can imagine the public ridicule that Noah and his family received for building a ship far from the sea. One could imagine how much it took Noah to pursue God’s will. It took going beyond what could be seen, observed and felt and going with what was commanded. It definitely took more than he had ever given or probably expected to give.

The time of the deluge (flood) was a time that required more. Humanity was wicked and giants roamed the Earth (Genesis 6). People were committing various workings of evil. It was an outright rebellion in the sight of God. One could imagine how wroth and heartbroken God was, particularly when considering all that happened in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3) up to that moment. It all seemed like a tragedy. However, God also knew the plan He had and that it would prevail.

In Genesis 5:28-29, Noah’s father, Lamech, had him at the age of 182 years. He called his son “Noah” because “He will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the Lord has cursed.”. This shows that even at such an early state there was hope. We also see, at the end of Genesis 4 that after the birth of Adam’s grandson and Noah’s Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Enosh, that “men began to call on the name of the Lord”. It’s interesting to see this mentioned in the same time frame that society was dark, rebellious and evil. However, this particular family was the ultimate example of failure and redemption seen. God’s promise was established through Seth and then in his son, Enosh, after which a line of men walked the earth who sought God, leading right up to Noah. It took more of them to overcome all the failures that occurred before and to surrender to God to be pleasing in His sight. Humanity’s survival depended on them making such a decision.

Today’s world doesn’t seem that different from Noah’s time. Men are probably more evil and wicked than they have ever been. Technology is being developed to achieve various measures and means that would bring forth distraction and destruction. Morality is basically out the window. Rather, it is seemingly taking on a new identity; “Morality is whatever you want it to be”. There is a negative feeling towards the Christian faith within society. The world is calling out to us as Christians, telling us to accept everything that it has to offer. We are told to be tolerant of other beliefs and schools of thought, while ours is being trampled on. Jesus already told us that if they hated Him then obviously they would hate us as well. It can be so amazing, however, to see it happen right before your very eyes. Young people are turning to drugs, sex, violence and suicide more than ever. A generation is being tampered with and no one else is seemingly realising that this can spell disaster for the human race.

God is still sovereign and in control. Therefore, humans won’t be wiped out from existence. However, this time doesn’t call for us as believers to just say “que sera sera”. It calls for more from us. It calls for us to give more to prayer, more to fasting, more to studying God’s word, more to knowing Jesus on a personal level, more love, more evangelism, more people standing up for the Gospel. It takes more people to be trained in the areas of counselling and effective leadership to help people through difficult times. It doesn’t necessarily take more pastors, it just requires more Godly pastors. It’s also a season that requires less. It requires less preaching of contrary doctrine, less preaching of prosperity gospels, less selfish attitudes, less “feel-good” church events. It requires the Church to be the Hospital and Hostel that it needs to be. We must offer help, healing and hope to this dark, dull world.

Learning from other Biblical Heroes

The great men and women of Faith weren’t all that great. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Ruth, David, Elijah, Isaiah, Mary, Peter, John, Paul, etc.; all of them had immense short comings. What set them apart was their willingness to be obedient to God’s call.

In Isaiah 6:8 God asked the question “Whom shall I send? And who will go for Us?”. Isaiah responded by saying “Here I am! Send me!”. Notice that God didn’t tell him what the mission was as yet. But Isaiah experienced and understood God and he knew that there was no better thing to do with his life than to give God more. Actually, he realised he wanted to do more than give God “more”; he wanted to give God his “all”.

David, though he was young and seemingly insignificant, gave God more. As a result, God was able to do more in and through Him. God established a covenant with David; a covenant of such great proportions that Jesus Christ, God the Son himself, is also called “the Son of David”.

Mary was a simple young lady who was also a virgin. Yet when she received the call from God to carry the Lord Jesus in her womb, she accepted the call without any hesitation.

Peter was a fisherman and probably wasn’t brought up and educated in fancy schools and institutions. But in Acts 4:13 it says, referring to Peter and John, that “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.”. Peter and John gave of their lives and time to knowing and serving Jesus. They realised that they had the distinct privilege of interacting face-to-face with God in the flesh. They gave Him more, they gave Him their all. Jesus was able to do more in them, as they gave more of themselves.

Conclusion

You must note that no mention is being made here of giving more money and physical resources. Those things are important, especially since money is needed to purchase things and pay bills. It is therefore a huge sacrifice to give of one’s financial resources; a sacrifice that, if willingly given, God would acknowledge and reward in His time. However, God is asking for more than your resources. He is asking for you! For more of you! For all of you! Give Him all!

There is a lot that we have to do. Now is the time to give God more. Then, when you give Him more, give Him some more. Keep giving Him more until you can’t give anymore of yourself. That’s when you would have engaged in total surrender to Him and would have given Him your all.

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