By: Wari Wicatman
Editorial Board, Jayanews.com
Step inside, so that you may be saved and protected.
In the past, Noah was called mad.
“Why build a ship that huge? On dry land? There’s no sea here.”
But Noah kept driving in the nails. Day after day. Year after year.
Because he knew: God’s warning was not a threat. It was an invitation.
Today, in 2026, that “carpenter” is still here.
The difference is, the ark is not made of teak wood.
1. That “Ark” Is Not a Ship. It Is “God’s Tabernacle.”
In this day and age, God’s tabernacle takes various forms.
The first tabernacle: The Family.
A home filled with prayer, forgiveness, and shared meals. Chaos outside, serenity within. That is an ark.
The second tabernacle: The Faith Community.
Mosques, churches, temples, and religious gatherings. Places where we remind each other not to be swept away. Places where we gather supplies for those hit by floods. That is an ark.
The third tabernacle: A Submissive Heart.
When everyone shouts hate, you choose patience. When everyone engages in corruption, you choose honesty. When everyone panics, you choose remembrance of God. That is the strongest ark of all.
God never leaves us without shelter.
There is always an “ark” being built.
2. Signs That the “Waters” Are Rising.
Noah was told: if water started gushing from the kitchen, that was the sign.
What are the signs of our times?
A flood of information. A flood of debt. A flood of heat. A flood of division.
Children disrespecting their parents is seen as a “trend.” Lying is considered a “strategy.”
Immorality, corruption, and injustice are flourishing.
This is not the end of the world. This is an “alarm.” A wake-up call to hurry aboard the ark before the door closes.
3. Who Survives? Not the Strongest.
There were no celebrities or tycoons on Noah’s ark.
There were only: Noah’s family, the faithful, and pairs of animals.
The lesson: It isn’t the wealthiest who survive, but those most willing to step inside.
Prestige is left behind. Egocentrism is left behind. The “I’ll do it later” attitude is left behind.
Entering the ark means:
Being willing to repent. To learn. To help neighbors. To care for the earth. To hold fast to faith when the world is shaking and in chaos.
The door is still open. But not forever.
Closing: The Final Strike of the Gavel.
Can you hear it? That is the sound of a gavel.
“God’s Tabernacle” is being raised all around us.
Through the religious teacher who offers a reminder.
Through the disaster that brings us to our senses.
Through the child who teaches us sincerity.
Through the ache in our chests whenever we see the earth being ruined.
This is not the time to ask, “Is the flood really coming?”
This is the time to ask, “Have I stepped inside yet?”
Step inside.
Bring your family. Bring your faith. Bring your good deeds.
It is cramped inside, but safe.
It is vast outside, but you will be swept away.
For after the waters recede, God promises a new land.
A Golden Age. A rainbow. A cleaner life.
There is only one question:
Do you want to be inside the ark… or a spectator who drowns?**
Indramayu, September 6, 2026.
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