Wednesday, June 16, 2010

June 16, 2010

"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." Genesis 6:8

One of the most dramatic moments in the amazing account of the Creation is when God had completed His masterpiece, looked it over, and pronounced it "good". A perfect God had combined His creative genius with His incredible power and spoke the universe into existence.

So, how bad would it have to get for God to change His mind about the "goodness" of this creation?

Real bad. Check this out:

"5The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7So the LORD said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." Genesis 6:5-7

What an amazing portion of Scripture! It reveals a God Who had found such delight in His creation now grieving over what it had become. What He had created for His pleasure now brought Him great pain. Think about that! Think about how destructive sin is! Think about how it breaks the heart of God!

This condition could not continue. Something had to be done to make this right! How would that happen?

God had it in His mind to destroy everything and start over. But amid the degradation and disgrace there was one beacon of hope - Noah, a righteous man.

You have to understand the circumstances surrounding this statement - "Noah found favor with God" - to fully appreciate what "favor" means. To grasp grace you must understand the alternative of disgrace.

In a world filled with men who were disgracing themselves, Noah found grace. Grace refers to God's "unmerited favor" offered to us. This means that God is looking for reasons to extend His kindness and goodness toward us and Noah's righteousness brought favor on him at a time when God was ready to destroy everyone and start over.

Consider the powerful difference one person can make when God's favor rests upon them.

Over the next few posts I want to explore the attitudes and actions of Noah that brought God's favor upon his life.

But this morning I want to ask you, "Is your life bringing God's grace or His disgrace upon you, upon your family? Are you living in a way that brings God pain?"