The story of Noah and the flood is not usually described as a journey at sea, but Noah was one of the Bible’s most gifted seafarers. He built a massive ship that housed his family and all kinds of animals. And with God’s help he navigated 40 days and nights of storming and flooding. Then they all waited months for the waters to recede.

It must have been extraordinary to see the waters coming from all directions—from the ground, from the sea, from the sky—a cataclysm bringing destruction on the earth. Though Noah had built the ship and prepared for this over many years, the force of the storm and the scale of devastation must have been shocking and overwhelming for Noah and his family.

Yet God had prepared a way of salvation. God taught Noah how to build the ark. And when the flood came, God guided Noah, his family, and all the animals to a place where they could land. God also promised that a flood like that would never come again.

The Bible shows that God’s justice flows together with his love and mercy. Despite the trauma and destruction of the flood, God provides shelter and promises new and full life. Today we see this even more clearly in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for all who believe in him!