Genesis 6:12-22

While many cities and villages along the Indian Ocean suffered catastrophic losses from the December 2004 tsunami, the port city of Pondicherry, India, and its 300,000 inhabitants were spared. Just beyond city limits, 600 people were killed by the devastating tidal wave, but Pondicherry withstood the tsunami. Why were they protected?

The answer began 250 years ago when France colonized the city. The French built a massive stone seawall. Year after year, the French continued to strengthen the wall, piling huge boulders along its 1.25-mile length.

The French stopped building Pondicherry’s seawall in 1957, but their work prepared them for a disaster that would occur five decades into the future. (Chris Tomlinson, Associated Press (1-4-05))

This city of Pondicherry was prepared for the tsunami disaster because of foresight, hard work, and preparation. It was the same way with Noah. He planned ahead and saved the world from extinction. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark, but God told him the flood was coming. It would be the beginning of hard times.

In your life, the rain may be off in the distance, too far away for you to see, but it will come. For some of you, the storm has ended, but for all of you, it is good advice to plan now for the storms of the future. How do you prepare for that? Stay in God’s Word. It will feed you and nourish you. Walk with Him now and you’ll see that He will guide you in the future. Trust God and listen to Him. Fill any voids in your life with the Lord—not with busyness, work, shopping, food, or drink. Simply obey Him. That’s what Noah did and we know that his story ended with the saved lives of his family, God’s creatures, and humankind.

Trust that God has your best interests in mind and be willing to do what He asks of you, even if you don’t understand why. Obedience starts with having a heart that says “YES” to God.