My parents recently passed a significant milestone: their 42nd anniversary. It was in celebration of their 42nd anniversary and my own birthday this year that we took a trip together to Cincinnati to see something fantastic. Something out of a storybook. Something out of the Storybook–the Bible. We went to see the Ark Encounter, a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark in Williamstown, KY, and the Creation Museum located in Petersburg, KY.
Both were big and grand, taking up two days and nearly 10 miles of walking in total. Grander still is the ministry that this museum and “theme park” attractions accomplish. Besides the size of the ark, the constant focus on Jesus Christ, and the evidence sprinkled throughout the entire space, I walked away with a big appreciation for the missionary-hearts the parent organization has.
Mission-Focused
From the general design to the remarkable details, you can see that the entire experience is mission-focused. As I left the main auditorium where Ken Ham and Buddy Davis had a jovial discussion about dinosaurs and the age of the earth I thought, this is crazy. That is the CEO. He could be in an office someplace with a fat salary doing nothing, but he’s here in Nowhere, Kentucky giving a presentation about creation and Jesus.
The idea of this guy having a conviction to share God’s Word, and that it led him there to a life-sized ark where thousands visit each day and leave with a better understanding of Jesus was…revolutionary.
It made me think of my mission. Do I have one? What can I do with it? Better yet, what can God do with it?
Faith Like Noah
As a birthday gift, my mom got me a hooded sweatshirt (we Millenials call the hoodies) that says FAITH LIKE NOAH. This is the message that I walked away with this weekend. Hebrews 11:7 says, “By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” Noah’s family was saved through his faith, but he became an heir of righteousness because of his faith!
Noah too was mission-focused, but he had something else, something necessary for furthering God’s kingdom. He had to have faith.
It made me think of my faith. Do I have enough? What mountains might God move with a little of my faith?
When Waters Rise
God left a rainbow in the sky to signify that He would never again flood the entire world. He made a covenant with mankind on that day. He had a plan to save us not with an ark, but with a cross. God knew even when he warned Noah of the coming disaster that Jesus would save mankind. God knew even as he closed the door of the ark that Jesus would be the Redeemer. God knew while he sent rain for 40 days and 40 nights that Jesus’ kingdom would reign forever. This was God’s covenant.
It made me think of my covenant. Have I made a covenant with God? What am I doing to keep my covenant with Him?
I hope you will consider your beginnings as I have after walking through Earth’s beginnings at the Creation Museum.
I hope you will consider your disasters as I have after visiting the Ark Encounter.
I hope you will consider your faith as I have considered mine.
Consider your covenants. Contemplate your Redeemer.
