Elementary Level, Block 1—Adam to Noah
Week 10
Noah—Being Diligent in Caring for the Ark and for Those Inside the Ark
Point to Emphasize: We can be diligent in everything we do.
Reference Reading: Genesis 6—9
Memory Verse: Do all things without murmurings and reasonings. (Philippians 2:14)
Story Sample
Noah and his family stayed inside the ark until it stopped raining and the earth was dry again. They were inside the ark for one hundred and fifty days! That means almost 5 months inside that ark! First, they woke up day after day hearing nothing but the sound of rain. After the rain stopped, they had to wait even longer until the earth was dry so they could come out of the ark.
Now, what do you think Noah did for all those days? Was he just sitting around day after day, passive and idle, with nothing to do? NO! This man had a lot to do! Noah was diligent. Have you heard the word diligence before? Do you know what it means? Diligence means to be careful in your work and seeing it through. It means that you are thorough, putting in your best effort. Noah had many tasks but he never gave up. He never quit. He was diligent. Let’s see some of the things that Noah was diligent with.
Let me ask you a question; was the ark a tiny little ark or a big ark? Right, it was a big ark. I am sure that the ark needed to be kept clean and in order. Cleaning that big ark was a big task! Maybe when he was done cleaning one area it was time to clean somewhere else! And then somewhere else! Maybe it was a never ending task! And, who was he with inside the ark? Right, he was not alone. His family and some animals were also inside the ark. Who do you think cared for the animals? Animals need care, someone to feed them and someone to clean after them. What happens to a hamster cage if you don’t clean it for a week? It smells! Right? Imagine Noah caring not just for one animal, but for all the animals that were inside the ark. He not only needed to keep the ark clean but also care for all the animals. He needed to give them food and water, care for them and keep everything neat! Oh, wow! I just can’t stop thinking of all the things Noah needed to do! Sometimes your mom might ask you to clean your room and you might say to yourself, “Oh, I will never finish! It wasn’t just me playing in this room! My little sister made this mess! I will be cleaning the whole day!” But next time you open your mouth to say something like this, I want you to think about Noah and all the space he needed to clean!
When I was about your age, I remember I wanted to have a pet. My parents waited until I was old enough to be able to take good care of a pet. So, one day when I came back from school, guess what was in my room? A bunny! An adorable, cute, fuzzy, fluffy, sweet and energetic bunny! I was thrilled! So I quickly set a schedule to care for my bunny. As the days kept going and going I started getting tired of caring for my bunny. Even though she was a lot of fun she was also a lot of work! But, I was diligent to care for my bunny with the help of my parents. [Storyteller, insert your story of having a task and being diligent to complete it.]
So finally, it stopped raining! The boat rested on a mountain. Noah removed the covering of the ark and saw that the earth was dry. Then God spoke to Noah and told him to come out of the ark. So Noah came out of the ark and so did his wife, his sons, and his sons’ wives. Noah was diligent to care for those under his care inside the ark!! Can boys and girls in kindergarten be diligent? Can boys and girls in first grade be diligent? Yes! You can be diligent, just like Noah!