When Waters Rise

Chad and I have talked several times through the years about how strange it is that the most horrifying event in human history has become such a sweet and fuzzy children’s story. Noah and his ark are plastered all over church preschool areas, baby bedding, and children’s Bibles. There’s even a funny children’s song that says:

“God told Noah to build Him an ark-y, ark-y
Build it out of Gopher bark-y, bark-y…”

Strange, isn’t it, when you think about the terrifying nature of the story? The earth was populated by descendants of Adam and Eve. They had turned their backs on God, and God decided He was just going to get rid of them and start over. But, there was that one fella, Noah. He was faithful to God. And he and his family were saved.

I know we usually focus on the big boat and all the animals and imagine what that must’ve been like, traveling on that huge floating menagerie all over the earth. But, I can’t help but picture what it was like on the ground.

Families, moms and dads who loved their children, babies, toddlers, teenagers, grandparents. They had mocked God. They had decided they didn’t need Him. Or maybe they were just indifferent and placed higher priority on other things. Whatever the case, they were down there, living life, thinking they were right, probably believing they were good people.

Then the rain started.

And, at first maybe they weren’t that worried. But, it kept coming down. And soon there was no place for it to go anymore–all the valleys of the earth were full and the water began to rise. Imagine the moment when the waters could no longer be held back. When parents and children knew that disaster was upon them. Panic set in. Moms and Dads clung to their children and their babies’ cries rang in their ears. In that moment, don’t you think those parents wished they had chosen another path? When the terrified screams of their children rose up. When their little ones were asking for help and the parents knew there was nothing they could do. They had made their choice, and it led to this moment. And their children were paying for it.

How often do we consider how our devotion to God (or lack of devotion) will affect our children? Do we send messages that other things are more important than God? Do we rely on our own goodness to guide our kids to the right path?

I pray that we act now, before the storms of this life pummel our kids. We have to be real about devoting ourselves and our families fully to God. It’s too late for us to help them once they’re already drowning. We will have missed our chance.

The good news is that God can do anything. But, we have a responsibility to prepare our kids for a life that is about clinging to Christ, not some flimsy liferaft that the world presents as acceptable. Nothing the world produces will hold up against the storm. So, do this: take your kids to church. Teach them about the love of Christ. Live your life to show them that He is the most important thing. Then when life’s storms hit them full force, you will have no regrets, knowing that you did all you could to throw them the life-saving Truth.