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Theme: Doing What’s Right - The Story Begins.
- Proverbs 4:14-15 says, “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.” But is it easy to follow God’s path?
- As Noah and his family built the ark, can you imagine what the people around him thought? Genesis 6:5 says, “ The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” That was most of the people on earth. In contrast, Genesis 6:9 says, “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” As you listen, think of a time when you stood out as being different because of your obedience to God.
After you listen
Memory Verse
The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.” Genesis 7:1
Quiz
2. True or False. God said, “You are to bring into the ark five of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you.”
A: False
Reflect
We all want to feel accepted and be seen as “normal.” But Noah lived during a time of terrible sin, and he didn’t follow the crowd. What God thought of him mattered more to Noah. He was faithful to God, and God saw him as different, too! God needed someone faithful to build an ark, even through hard times when there was no sign of rain. Noah had to trust in God to guide him. God gave him specific instructions and provided him with all that he needed to build that giant ark. Throughout the building of the ark and the flood that followed, Noah got his strength from the Lord. Noah had to persevere and trust in God’s plan for him. At the end of the story, Noah’s family made it to safety, and God made a covenant promise between him, Noah, and his creation, symbolized by a rainbow.
We must remain faithful to God instead of worrying about what other people think. God calls us, too, and we need to trust in God’s guidance. God provided Noah with the strength to face all his critics and difficulties. God can do the same for you, too. Can we stumble and sin? Yes, and our forgiving God picks us up and gives us grace. It’s our job to work to stay faithful.
You can read the Bible story in Genesis 6:9- Genesis 9. Want to dig deeper and learn more about being different? Check out Romans 12:1-2, Jeremiah 1:5, and 1 Peter 4:10-11.
Challenge
What’s one thing you do as a Christian that makes you different? Maybe it’s praying for a meal when you are in a public place. Perhaps it’s that you go to church on Sunday. Is it that your family listens to and sings worship music? Whatever it is, talk with your family about words that you can say when someone asks. Maybe they are curious and want to learn more. Don’t miss the opportunity!
