Genesis 8:15-22 (NLT)
15 Then God said to Noah, 16 “Leave the boat, all of you—you and your wife, and your sons and their wives. 17 Release all the animals—the birds, the livestock, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—so they can be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth.” 18 So Noah, his wife, and his sons and their wives left the boat. 19 And all of the large and small animals and birds came out of the boat, pair by pair. 20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose. 21 And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things. 22 As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.”

Noah has waited on God for Him to say leave the boat. Then the Lord gave Noah a vision for the world that the animals would be released and man and animal would once again populate the world. Knowing all life had been extinguished on earth Noah willingly offered a sacrifice from the animals that had been set aside for such purpose. Some men may have feared to give up these animals lest they not eat, but Noah trusted God to provide for his needs. Noah and his family had been on the boat for a long period and God had taken care of him and his family from the time they had boarded. Now was a time to continue that trust and show appreciation to God.

It Genesis 8:13 it says, “Noah was now 601 years old. On the first day of the New Year, ten and a half months after the flood began; the floodwaters had almost dried up from the earth. Noah lifted back the covering of the boat and saw that the surface of the ground was drying.” Noah saw hope in the New Year that had come. He saw God fulfilling His promise to care for Noah and his family. The New Year was the beginning of new life and world to spring forth once again. As this New Year begins remembers the blessings of God and look forward to the hope He brings. May each person be blessed as the Lord works in the lives of His people.