Yesterday morning I taught some youngsters about Noah. You, know……Noah and the Ark? The first thing I taught as I held up my fat B-I-B-L-E is that this very cool book of 66! books is all T-R-U-T-H, and that we can B-E-L-I-E-V-E it! We really can. “Because why”, I asked them. “Why?” I said again. “BECAUSE GOD ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH!” they shouted back. How I love to see the faith of a little child. Jesus talked about it and told us as adults to believe like a little child. How refreshing it is for a teacher to see how a little child soaks up the word of God!
………………..um………………back to Noah. I told them this story was found in the very first book of the bible…..GEN…I….SIS…..and they repeated. GEN….I….SIS…….GEN….I….SIS (Genesis 6-9) 🙂
God saw this righteous man among many who were wicked in His eyes. He spoke to Noah and asked him to carry out a plan. And Noah told his family……..wife, 3 sons, their wives, and they believed Dad and supported him. The rest of the world laughed, taunted, snickered, bullied, and so on. People certainly can be crrrreeeeppppy, can’t they! Noah wasn’t phased. He didn’t worry about what mankind thought. He obeyed God.
So….Noah and his fam built this huge boat…..called the Ark…..brought the pairs of animals on board……….and basically did what they were told in BLIND FAITH. God told them exactly what was going to happen because of the wickedness of mankind. and GOD SHUT THE DOOR. What happened next was exactly the way God said it would. Why? Ask the kids…………………..BECAUSE GOD ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH. And it rained for 40 days and 40 nights. And there was a flood……and everything was covered by water…..and destroyed. God protected Noah and his family…..saved them…….and promised them with evidence. What evidence?? I’ll get to that in a minute.
Why is it that every time we see a rainbow in the sky it is such a big deal? I mean……people stop and point and smile and admire and those who know about Noah contently remember God’s promise.
When storms (trouble) come in our life…………..
and they will….
and they do….
and we hate ’em,
we cling to God
and His word, for His says He will never leave us or forsake us. Sometimes they are physical storms and sometimes they are heart-wrenching storms like health problems, marriage problems, financial problems, emotional problems….DEATH………………..and on and on. God is there for us. He loves us so! So much so, that He sent Jesus to give us a hope and a future. He wants us to cling to Jesus. Believe in him. Surrender our will to Him. Trust in Him to lead the way. He promises to love and take care of us. He will help us, guide us, comfort us, shield us, carry us. He tells us that in this world we will have trouble but to take heart, for HE has overcome the world. He doesn’t lie. His words are true and good. (Just ask the kids!)
“Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. So God said to Noah, “This is the sign of the covenant. I have established between me and all life on the earth.” Genesis 9:14-17
