Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.
Eight people lived through the great flood, Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their three daughters-in-law. Animals also survived by coming to Noah at God's command, and taking shelter on the ark Noah had built in preparation for the flood.
The flood covered the earth to a depth of more than twenty feet above the tallest mountain. Every air breathing creature on earth died in the flood except the eight humans and two to seven individuals of each of the species of the animal kingdom who rode out the storm on the ark with the humans.
Once the waters receded, the people and animals debarked. The first thing Noah did was to take some of all the clean animals and birds and sacrifice them. Only a handful of creatures came out of the boat, a very limited number of animals, yet the first thing Noah did was to make a sacrifice to God of some of the precious few animals left on the earth.
Noah's future, the future of humanity for that matter, did not rest on the number of animals inhabiting the earth. Animals were a scarce resource, yet Noah refused to hoard them. He knew God would provide for him and his family. Noah's job was simply to trust and obey.
Trust and obey. Hoarding scarce resources will not guarantee survival. We cannot add one minute to our lifespan any more than we can grow ourselves an inch taller by mind power, medicine or magic. God is in charge, but when we cooperate with Him we have access to all the resources we will ever need to do His will no matter how big the task may be.
Trust and obey. It's a New Years kind of thought.
May our sacrifices this year be an exercise of faith by which we give thanks to God for His benefits!
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