My, Devotion to Him #307
The subtitle for part one is – Understanding His Ways.
Verse Passage: Genesis 6:13-18 “And God said to Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. Make a roof for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above, and set the door of the ark in its side. Make it with lower, second, and third decks. For behold, I will bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life under heaven. Everything that is on the earth shall die. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you.” – ESV
The story of Noah has been an interesting one for me since I was a child. God destroyed the whole earth with a flood. Wow! If we’ve seen the movie 2012, the day after tomorrow, and numerous films that try to portray humanity’s ending at the hands of nature. They have only fueled curiosity in this story. Unfortunately, drowning the earth is not as easy to believe nor a simple history story for Christians, let alone others, to understand.
Many people struggle with stories like this because it directly goes against the perception we’ve created within ourselves about who God is as a loving God. Something like this strikes back on everything we think we know about Him. Some question the action itself because how was there no alternative? While questions have grown and forced some to leave this story alone, others have found it to be uncomfortable. Sadly, we don’t know what to do when we’re uncomfortable besides shut down or leave it alone.
Through the Bible itself, the actions that God takes make no sense a lot of the time. No matter how much God has revealed himself to us, there is still an extensive amount of Him that remains a mystery, and that’s simply because there is not enough time to understand the One who was here before everything and will endure after. There was no beginning for Him, and the universe was only formed because He created it. How in our tiny lifetime could we ever fully know God and understand Him completely when we have a hard enough time comprehending ourselves, our spouses, and our children. We expect to know everything that could be known about the God of the universe, yet we don’t even know everything there is to know about this world yet. We still haven’t found a way to live in peace with people of different skin colors, let alone somehow, we’ve come to the conclusion that people are capable of understanding the God who formed oxygen, blood, brains, hearts, eyes, planets, and galaxies. We still think we are superior beings! Our attitudes in not understanding God and self-centered belief that we should or do proves once again we’ve got a lot to learn.
Verse Passage: Isaiah 55:9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – ESV
A turning point comes when all seems hopeless and out of control when God has communicated His displeasure with humankind and His desire to destroy everything and everyone. A point of hope, promise, and light. It is signaled by one small, tiny word in Scripture, “But.”
Verse Passage: Genesis 6:8 “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” – ESV
The earth had become corrupted, evil, vile, and wicked to the point where there was no return. The whole world had gone its own way, what they wanted, what they desired, what they felt was right. But Noah went God’s way. He found favor in the Lord. Noah had walked in a close relationship with God. Clearly, God wanting a boat built, with a certain number of animals on it, while planning on killing everyone else except Noah’s family was a wild mission to anyone. I have wondered where Noah stood on grasping what God was telling him to do. Noah, of course, did what he was instructed but imagining what he was thinking at that time is priceless.
Maybe Noah did not have a personal opinion. He had lived 600 years before the waters came. That is a long time to walk with God. Perhaps Noah just reacted by obeying no matter how crazy it sounded because he knew God was good no matter when His actions didn’t make sense, and in all 600 years, God had never let him down, so why question it now?
Can we believe like Noah? Believe that God’s essential nature is good even when we don’t comprehend what He is doing or why?
Psalm 103 has one of the most profound writings about God in one setting that can help us in our time after this message for us to reflect on. Here is a small piece that’s been adjusted in my writing style (no, I’m not trying to change what the Bible says.)
Bless the Lord with everything inside me. Bless His Holy name! I do not forget His benefits. He is the One who has forgiven me and heals every part of me. The One who redeemed my life from the pit I was in, He crowned me with love and mercy. The Lord works righteousness and finds justice for the oppressed. Slow to anger and full of love. God pours out grace, compassion, and love to all who fear Him. He has made the heavens His throne, and it shall be everlasting. Love from the Lord is unending to those who remember to do His commandments and keep His covenant.
God bless,
Copyright © 2022 by Jacob Olinger
Noah, Goodness Still Abounds Series
- Noah Part 1: Understanding His Ways (current page)
- Noah Part 2: A Rising Tide
- Noah Part 3: Healing Is Coming
- Noah Part 4: Opportunities In Life
- Noah Part 5: Sacrifices
- Noah Part 6: Rainbows Among Us
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