Thud!

Genesis 7:1-16

Verse 16  The animals going in were male and female of every living thing, as God had commanded Noah.  Then the Lord shut him in.

    Now that the Ark was finished and the animals had arrived God tells Noah the day is almost here for the life-changing event.  God informs him the countdown is now in the single digits and it is time to start loading the boat.  Now this was going to be an interesting process, making sure the creatures were in just the right order and that they weren’t going to be in with another animal which could cause issues of one sort or another.

    There were many different ways they could have organized the various creatures but it would have been important to make sure none of the ones who viewed another as prey were kept in the same area.  There may have been plans put in place regarding the food styles so they could easily feed the animals without having to haul it everywhere.

    The animals may also have been dealing with some curiosity as the majority of them had never been inside a structure before.  Of course there were many things the animals and humans on the boat were going to be experiencing for the first time.  First the sound of rain on the roof, the sensation of floating and maybe even a bit of rocking of the boat, the sounds of some of the other creatures or even interaction with kind humans.  But one of the biggest things that was going to change for all those on the boat had to do with their freedom.

    When God closed the door everything on the boat was suddenly confined.  They had all been used to going wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted but they were now stuck for the long haul.  The brothers needed to get along with each other, the husbands and wives needed to live peacefully and all of the humans needed to get along.  There was no going for a walk to blow off steam or going to their own house to get away from the rest of the family.  Everyone had to work together.

    When they all heard the door shut they would have been reminded about God’s greatness and His attention to detail.  That solid thud meant there was no turning back.  They had made the choice to trust God for the last 100 years + and now they had to trust Him even more.  They knew He was trust worthy and would need to trust Him even more for the unforeseeable future.

Making It Personal

    Have you ever been stuck with someone in a place you couldn’t leave?  What did you do to get along with those who were stuck with you?  How do you deal with feeling anxious in a new place or situation?

Making It Personal Kids

    Have you ever been stuck in a place you had never been?  What scared you the most?  How can knowing Jesus make you feel safe even in uncomfortable places?

Closing Prayer

    Father, thank You for always being there for us, even in the times we feel uncomfortable.  Help us look to You for strength when we feel anxious about the unknown.  In Jesus’ name, amen.