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Before long, people started fighting and hurting one another terribly. God wept that they were not enjoying the lovely earth he had made. Finally, he said, ‘I must make a new beginning. I will send a flood to cover the whole earth.’
But one man named Noah was kind and did what was right.
God told Noah to build a big boat called an ark. Then God said, ‘Gather all your family and two of every kind of animal, bird, and insect.’ God sent the rain, and Noah led everyone into the ark. For forty days and forty nights it rained so hard that the water covered even the highest mountains.
Boy, did it smell inside the ark! And the noise! The ROARing and the BAAing, the NEIGHing and the MOOing! But – amazingly – everyone got along. Yes, even the lion lay down with the lamb.
At last the rain stopped. Noah sent out a dove in search of land. When the bird returned with an olive leaf, Noah and his family cheered. Noah thanked God for saving them.
God told Noah, ‘I promise not to send another flood to cover the whole earth.’ And God made a beautiful rainbow so people would never forget his promise.
Dear God,
thank you for rainbows and for keeping your promise to us.
God promises a wonderful blessing
Abraham was sad because he and his wife, Sarah, had no children. God told him to pack up everything and to go to a whole new land to begin a whole new life. Abraham trusted God, so he and Sarah left their home and family and began a long, hard journey.
They wandered through deserts, up and down mountains, through green pastures and dark forests, constantly longing for a home of their own filled with happy children. They wandered for so many years they grew too old to have babies.
One night God said, ‘I am giving this land to you and your children and your children’s children.’
‘God, you must be joking! Sarah and I are too old to have children!’ Abraham said, stroking his long white beard.
‘Trust me, my child,’ God replied, ‘look at the stars in the sky. Your children and your children’s children will be as many as those stars.’
Abraham thought, How can that be? But then he remembered that God always keeps his promises. And so Abraham trusted God.
Then God smiled and said, ‘I will bless you and your children so you can be a blessing to all the people of the world.’
Dear God,
help me to be a blessing to others.
God’s promise of a baby comes true
One long, hot day, Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent. Three strangers appeared, and Abraham ran to greet them. ‘Please come and rest,’ he said. ‘Here is cool water to wash your feet. I will bring food so you can eat.’
Sarah baked bread with her best flour, and Abraham prepared a young calf for a feast. When the food was ready, he served the strangers himself.
The visitors were pleased with how kind and generous Abraham was.
‘We are angels sent by God,’ the visitors said. ‘When we return, Sarah will have a son.’
Sarah was listening from the tent and chuckled. ‘I am too old to have a baby.’ The angel said, ‘Nothing is too hard or too wonderful for God.’
And, just as promised, Sarah gave birth to a baby boy. She said, ‘God has given me a child to bring laughter into my heart.’
Abraham and Sarah thanked God and named their son Isaac, which means ‘laughter.’
Dear God,
help me to trust your promises.
God speaks to Jacob
Isaac grew up healthy and strong and had two sons, Esau and Jacob. One day the brothers fought, and Jacob became scared of his big brother. He ran into the desert to hide. When it was dark, Jacob rested his head on a large, smooth stone and tried to sleep.
For a long time Jacob stared up at the distant stars. Jacob felt far away from his family, and so very alone. Finally he fell into a restless sleep.
He dreamed of a staircase reaching to the sky with angels going up and down. In the dream, God stood beside him and said, ‘I made a promise to your forefathers, Abraham and Isaac, and I will keep that promise to you. I will be with you, and I will protect you, and I will keep you safe.’
Jacob woke up. He was amazed by the dream. ‘God is in this place, and I did not know it!’
So he took the stone he had rested on, stood it up, and poured oil on it to bless it. He said, ‘This is the house of God and the gate to heaven.’ He called that place Bethel, which means ‘house of God’, and he promised to remember God everywhere he went.
Dear God,
help me to see that the whole world is your home.
God has a plan for Joseph
Daddy’s favourite!’ Joseph’s brothers sneered.
Jacob had twelve sons, but Joseph really was his favourite. Jacob even made him a special coat of many colours, which Joseph liked to show off.
Joseph
