December 4 - Noah

Gather

What promises have you made?
Have you kept those promises?

Can you remember a time when someone kept their promise to you? How did that make you feel?

Have a look at how long a metre is.
How big is the room that you are in?

See if you can work out how many times bigger the ark was

Noah

Engage

Gen 6:9-22, 7:17-8:12
As more and more people were born they continued to take very little notice of God and were busy spoiling the world that he had created for them to enjoy. God was very fed up and decided to destroy it in a great flood, but Noah was someone who still trusted God and so he was told to build a floating animal shelter and collect as many pairs of animals as he could. The Ark was big, it was nearly one hundred and forty metres long, over twenty-two metres long and more than thirteen metres tall. Plenty of room for Noah, his three sons and their wives, as well as all those animals.

When all were safe inside it began to rain, and it rained for weeks and weeks until everything was under water. Even after it had stopped raining it took a long time for the water to go down. Finally Noah was able to set the animals free and move
out of his floating home. God was pleased with Noah and promised that he would not flood the earth like t that again, as a sign of that promise he made a big rainbow in the sky.

Respond 

Even though we might see pictures of terrible flooding around the world, or even experienced it in our own homes, God has kept his promise that he will not flood the whole earth again. When we see a rainbow in the sky we can remember that promise and remember that God always keeps his promises.

The story of Noah might give us all sorts of feelings: happiness that the animals were saved; sadness that people were not taking notice of God and ruining his world; and hope in God’s promises. God loves to hear about all our feelings. Use the colours in the rainbow to talk to God about your feelings.

Red – what is making or has made you angry?
Orange – what makes you feel warm and safe and comfy?
Yellow – what are you happy about?
Green – what or who are you jealous of?
Blue – what or who has made you sad?
Indigo – Is there anything you are worrying about?
Violet – What are you hopeful about?

Send

Although he has promised not to flood the world again, people are still ignoring God and ruining his world. What can you change this week that shows that you are looking after God’s world?