Do Good Work

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Genesis 6:6-8
The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

As a crafter, artist, and writer, I picture God’s hands creating each person with a purpose.

Can you imagine being called by God to build an enormous boat because torrential rain is about to flood the earth and kill off all the sin-filled people? On top of that, fill this ginormous ark with animals who will be hungry, thirsty, and smelly. And you and your family of eight will be the only people to survive.

True story. God called Noah to build an ark because God looked at the world and saw so much evil, that He chose to start over. The only man for the job was Noah because he was faithful, and he was created for this purpose.

My friends, Bev, Krista and I went to visit the Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Kentucky. The Ark is a replica of Noah’s ark built according to the dimensions in the Bible with the folks who created it using an artistic license on the internal structure.

As we walked up and down the three-story boat, along the ramps, I pictured Noah and his family caring for the animals. The feeding and cleanup were enough to overwhelm me. Which got me to thinking about tasks God has called me to do. Was I as willing as Noah to trust God and move forward? I’d like to think so, but at times, I’ve hesitated. When God called me to write novels—I thought there is no way I can do that. Yet I have because I chose to be obedient to God’s calling.

I’m thankful for Noah’s example of obedience and faith. From him and his family, I’ve learned to trust God and His wisdom and obey his calling in my life. It’s not easy, but I know God has created me as His handiwork to do good works.

What is God calling you to do?

Children's Book Review: Noah's Voyage Illustrated by David Miles

At a time when the people God created were disobedient, God called upon the one good man he could find, Noah. God asked Noah to build an ark because he planned to send rain and flood the earth to destroy the bad and start over with people who loved him. He not only wanted to save Noah and his family, he wanted Noah to load animals onto the ark. Following God's perfect instructions, Noah and his sons built the giant boat to the Father's exact dimensions. When the rains came they climbed in.

The story of Noah's ark has been told time and time again. But instead of listening to a storyteller, now young readers, age 5-7, can pick up a copy and read this I Can Read! copy with a little help. David Miles has painted colorful and expressive pictures that will capture the reader's attention and add to their imagination. The animals are delightful and Noah and his family appear as loving individuals. I especially like the illustration of the inside of the ark. I'm sure most children are curious about how the animals may have lived on the three level ark. I recommend this version of Noah and the ark to be read with a child or to a class. You'll have much to talk about.

I received this book from Zonderkidz in exchange for a fair review.