Build the Boat: Obeying God Like Noah

Hey, carpool crew. Maybe you're on a road trip, maybe you're hanging out in the backyard or eating a Popsicle with your little brother or sister. I'm so glad you're here. I'm Pastor Justin and this is Carpooling with Jesus. Today we're headed way back to a time when one man listened to God and everyone else thought he was totally out of his mind. Yep. We're talking about Noah building the ark before the rain ever came. Now I wanna check out today's verse. It's in Genesis chapter six, verse 22, and it says this, and Noah did this. He did everything that God had commanded him. That's it, Noah, just obeyed, no stalling, no excuses. No. Maybe tomorrow or once this video is over or I gotta finish my milkshake. Nope. He heard God's instructions. And he got to work. So here's what's going on. The world was a mess. People were hurting each other, ignoring what was right and totally forgetting about God. But Noah, he listened. God told him, build a boat. A huge one. I'm sending a flood and I want you and your family ready. But picture this, there's no lake nearby. There's no rain, really. And here's Noah building a giant wooden boat in the middle of his yard. I mean, imagine what people were saying. Where's the water? What's all this wood for? This guy has lost it, but Noah didn't stop day after day. He obeyed God even when people laughed at him. You know what? I think Jesus would say, obeying God is always worth it. Even when it's hard, Jesus knows what it's like. He obeyed God when others didn't understand all the way to the cross. Like Noah, Jesus didn't just talk faith, he lived it. Lemme tell you something, from when I was a kid, one summer I was at a day camp and saw another kid sitting all by himself while everyone else played dodgeball. I felt this little nudge in my heart, like God saying, go talk to him. But I hesitated. It would've been easier to just jump in the game, have fun with my friends still. I walked over and said, hi, and guess what? That kid, he had just moved here. He didn't really know anyone yet, and we actually got to spend the rest of the day together hanging out, playing dodgeball and building a fort in the woods. It was actually amazing. That ended up being one of my favorite weeks of camp, all because I listened to that little nudge. So today I want you to remember doing the right thing isn't always easy, but it's always right. Be a Noah. Maybe God's asking you to include someone new. Maybe he's asking you to help your little sibling when you're on a trip or do something kind for a neighbor, even if no one else is doing it. This is something you can easily do in your everyday life. You would even call it the Noah Challenge. Every day you can wake up and just ask this question, what's one thing God wants me to do today? Even if it feels tough or difficult, you could write it down, talk to your parents about it, and at the end of the week, look back and see how God used you to do something awesome. No matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Parents, if you love this podcast, follow us on Instagram at carpooling with Jesus. Post a photo of your family listening. We would love to see it. Before you go answer this question together? What's something God might want you to do this week, even if it feels scary. I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.