City Life Starter

Written by Paul Lane

The Word

²⁰ Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. ²¹ And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done. ²² While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”

Genesis 8:20-22 (ESV)

⁵ The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

Genesis 6:5-6 (ESV)

¹⁵ The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. ¹⁶ The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. ¹⁷ When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. ¹⁸ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:15-18 (ESV)

Reflection

In Genesis 6 we are told that God was deeply grieved by the wickedness of man, and as the story proceeds, we see that God brings a terrible judgement upon all the earth. I will leave the debate over the extent of the flood (local or global) for another day. For today’s devotional, it is sufficient to understand that the reason for the punishment was the wickedness in the heart of man, and that it was this wickedness that was the source of God’s grief.

Now, with God’s punishment meaded out, the waters receded, and the ark open, we should ask what has happened to God’s grief?  We all know that when you are in a storm the prevailing question is, “is it over?” At this point in our story, the answer is, not yet. I find it interesting that before the flood God said that man was wicked and after the flood God said that man was wicked. So, what is the point of the flood?

The child now disciplined must respond. Will his prideful spirit be broken and submit to the will of the parent, or will his neck remain stiff and the memory of him be cutoff? God said that he was grieved that He had made man before the flood, but after Noah gives this offering, from the few animals that remained, the Bible says that God says in His heart that He will not destroy the world again because of man. 

Application

Because of Noah’s humility, God’s heart was satisfied. At the time of this offering, Noah was very poor. He did not have great flocks and herds. They had all been destroyed. As his first act in this new world, Noah remembered God, and it made a difference for all of us.

Have you had challenges in your life?  Have you felt like all your struggles are uphill?  Start by remembering God. He said that he will be with those who pursue righteousness. He says he will hear your cry and support you. So, start today by remembering God.

Prayer

Lord, I confess that I am not as quick as Noah. He remembered You right away, while I have struggled to turn to You in my troubles. I have sought my own answers and my own peace, while You offer me the answers I need openly, freely, and without regret. Recall to me the joy of Your salvation, and teach me Your love, that I too might teach others. In the name of Jesus, amen.