The First Thanksgiving: Leaving the Ark | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: The First Thanksgiving: Leaving the Ark | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jerry Johnson
04/25/05
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

Imagine the feeling of thankfulness that Noah and his family had when they were finally able to leave the ark. They had been confined for more than a year. It had rained for forty straight days. For five more months the ark drifted until it rested on Mount Ararat. They remained there for six more months until the land was dry. Their days were consumed with the feeding and caring for hundreds of animals. They faced great uncertainty about when and where they would find dry ground.

Their previous world was swept away. Their homes and fields were submerged. All their friends and enemies were dead. All their possessions that were not on the ark were destroyed. They were carried to an unfamiliar land a great distance away from where they once lived.

Now they stepped out into a new world, free of violence and corruption. The air was fresh as they surveyed the new land to plan their new homes and their fields and vineyards. They released all the wild animals into the new land. They built enclosures for their livestock, some of which had given birth during their confinement. They brought out their farming tools and the seeds to sow in the fresh and fertile land. The ark would serve as a temporary shelter until they could build their new homes in the new land. They had enough food to sustain them until their crops came in.

There were so many reasons to rejoice and be thankful:
The rain had stopped.
The sun was shining.
They were all alive and well.
They had everything they needed.
Their potential was unlimited.
God was watching over them.

They prepared burnt offerings to the Lord. Perhaps they also prepared a feast to celebrate. They gazed at the rainbow in the sky, which was the sign of God’s promise to sustain their lives, despite the fact that sin still exists.

God kept His promise. Since that time there have been floods, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, plagues, wars and famines. Each one was a disaster in terms of lost lives, destroyed property, and displacement of people. However, each time, God provided the ability to recover and rebuild. Despite the continued wickedness of man, we are not ever completely destroyed.

God’s promise remains the same. Our reasons for thanksgiving remain the same.

While the earth remaineth,
Seedtime and harvest,
And cold and heat,
And summer and winter
And day and night
Shall never cease. (Genesis 8:22 KJV)

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE

JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.