May 20, 2023 - Genesis 6:13-16

“So God said to Noah, “I have decided to destroy all living creatures, for they have filled the earth with violence. Yes, I will wipe them all out along with the earth! Build a large boat from cypress wood and waterproof it with tar, inside and out. Then construct decks and stalls throughout its interior. Make the boat 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Leave an 18-inch opening below the roof all the way around the boat. Put the door on the side, and build three decks inside the boat—lower, middle, and upper.” Genesis 6:13-16 NLT

Lord, here we see how you not only told Noah what was coming so he could prepare, but you gave him instructions how to prepare. What was coming was not logical and not something he would have known how to prepare for without your insight. He only knew how to build it to serve its purpose effectively because of your instructions. And the fact that he followed your instructions, even though they sounded outlandish, is what kept all of mankind and all of the animals from being completely wiped out.

Lord, thank you that you are a God that when we are tuned into and submitted to you, you will make sure that we are ready for what the future holds. You will give us instructions and show us how to successfully navigate through anything life will throw at us. What an amazing God you are! Because Noah’s life was built on your foundation, you made a way out for him. That doesn’t mean our way out will be easy. Building that ark for 100 years and living on it with all those animals for more than a year would not have been an easy journey, but in the end, how rewarding. He and his family lived, and they got to see the earth rebirthed and repopulated. Lord, help us walk in this kind of obedience. Build our trust to the level that we will always walk in obedience no matter how outlandish it sounds to us.

In Jesus name, amen.