Genesis 6: 8, Genesis 7: 16, Genesis 8: 15, Genesis 9: 13, Zechariah 13: 8-10

Sean Smith

You can't appreciate the rainbow without having the rain.

Last year I wrote a programme for one of the youth clubs that we run at our church, it was all about Noah. I was amazed to see exactly what Noah did and didn't do (see Genesis 7: 1-3), it's amazing the things that you just assume or miss!

Noah did a rather brave thing, to build a boat miles away from the sea and where they hadn't seen rain in ages. It was rather mad! But Noah carried on regardless. There are a few things that I would like to pull out of this story, which are important lessons for us all.

1. Genesis 6: 8 Noah found favour

Even though all of Noah's friends and contempories were doing things that displeased God, Noah took it upon himself to stick to the things that pleased God. It is important in todays society that we maintain our identity as Christians, standing up for the truths of the Bible and for the things that God is passionate about. We need to make sure that we stay in God's favour.

2. Genesis 7: 16 Then the Lord shut him in

God does sometimes close the doors on us. Can you imagine the conditions on the ark! Scholars have estimated that approx 45,000 animals could have been on the ark (who got to do all the mucking out, hmm) God sometimes puts us in situations that are a bit messy, unpleasant situations to refine our character. See Zechariah 13: 8-10. It is in these times of discomfort that we really see Gods true place in our life.

3. Genesis 8: 15 Then God said to Noah "Come out."

Noah kept on looking to see what the weather was like, but he remained inside the ark. After everything that Noah had done he knew that there was no point in going anywhere until God told him to. We often get out of situations as quickly as we can if we don't like them! Do you ever find yourself in a similar situation again a few months later? Perhaps God hadn't finished teaching you the point of the situation before you left.

If you find yourself in an uncomfortable situation maybe you should think about Noah, stuck on a boat with a whole load of animals (don't ask me who fed the lions). He did everything that God asked him to and found himself in an unpleasant situation, but the important thing was that he stayed there until God told him to leave.

Find out what God is trying to teach you through your circumstance and then wait for His voice asking you to "come out".

Genesis 9: 13
'I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.'

After coming out of the ark Noah could appreciate the rainbow - but it could not have happened without having the rain first.