They listened to learn. They listened to understand. They listened to remember. They listened to be shaped by a communal experience of a common story—the story of Jesus.

God’s response to Noah in the flood narrative establishes a paradigm for understanding a key feature of God’s character throughout the rest of the biblical story. That means it is not only about God’s response to Noah’s faithfulness but about how God works with and responds to all his people. From Genesis 1-8, we learn that God is determined to bring life out of disorder. God is grieved when human choices corrupt his creation, but when all seems lost and beyond repair, he doesn’t say “forget it.”

What if we had a seat in Heaven right now? What if we already had access to heavenly gifts, such as belonging to God’s family, complete forgiveness, and more love than we can measure? What if God’s presence, the Holy Spirit, lived within us and could change our lives with his love and peace today? The truth is, God has given us all these realities.