07/27/2026
What type of wood did Noah use to build the ark?
Take a moment before you answer.
Was it oak, pine, maple, or something else?
Genesis 6:14 gives the answer: gopher wood.
The exact kind of tree is no longer known, but the term refers to a strong, resinous wood, such as cypress or cedar, that could resist water and decay. Yet the wood Noah used holds a deeper lesson about what keeps our faith afloat when life turns dark.
A few years ago, I sat at my kitchen table thinking about an argument my husband and I had been having for weeks. I had spent those weeks asking God to remove the storm. That morning, I realized I had been fretting about the rain instead of building the ark.
Noah did not wait until the first drop fell. He trusted God enough to fell the timber, shape the beams, lift them into place, and keep working while the sky was still clear. Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family.” (NIV). To the unbelievers of his generation, Noah must have seemed crazy. But Noah trusted in God, and that was good enough. I'm sure I look crazy to others too, but I don't let that distract me from what really matters.
I asked myself, “What am I building inside my heart?” Fear had shaped my thoughts. Anger had chosen my words. Worry had filled every quiet moment. I began replacing them with prayer, truth, forgiveness, and small acts of love; not the least of which was actually listening to my spouse, without letting my own feelings put words in his mouth, or prevent me from hearing what he was really saying. Nothing outside me changed on one day, but something inside me did, little by little, as I stayed focused each time the subject came up.
Here was the breakthrough: Noah’s ark was built from wood strong enough to endure the flood, and wouldn't rot in water, or get eaten by bugs. My spiritual life must also be built from things that endure. No matter what life threw at the ark, it was prepared. We can be, too. Truth gives my faith its shape, but love makes it strong. Each time I forgive, pray, speak gently, or help someone in need, I place another sturdy board into the life God is building within me.
So, the answer is gopher wood, a resinous wood like cypress or cedar.
Where do you need to build stronger faith before the next storm arrives?
What act of trust, love, or obedience belongs in your life today?
I love learning helpful truths from my fellow believers and hearing about the valuable lessons God has taught them. Let’s support one another and keep building.
