Noah and the Father’s Love

Genesis 6:5-7:24


The reading for today is about Noah and the great flood --- a familiar story for many of us.  As I read this story I kept coming back to Genesis 6:5-8.  These verses describe mankind’s “wickedness on the earth” and God’s response.  Verse 6 especially got my attention, stating “The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.”  This is from the NIV translation.  Other translations say God was sorry or regretted that he had made man and that his heart was grieved and even broken.  My study bible has a note that says “Man’s sin is God’s sorrow” and directs you to Ephesians 4:30 where Paul directs us not to “grieve the Holy Spirit of God”.  


It is amazing to me that Almighty God can be pained or sorrowful because of our sinful behavior and disobedience.  But that seems to be the case in this story.  And yet, when I consider God as a loving Father who sacrificed His Son for our redemption, why am I surprised?  Just as obedience shows our love for God, disobedience (sin) grieves his heart. 


Over the past several weeks we have been singing a song at church that seems to give a good summary to these thoughts.  I have included a link below.  Please take a moment to listen closely to the lyrics, especially the second verse, and give thanks that we have a Father that loves us “beyond all measure”.


“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us"

1Corinthians 15:12, 16-28, 51-58 New Life

Sometimes the words in the bible are so deep and confusing I find myself re-reading again and again so I can get it through my thick skull. It often doesn’t work, but then if I read on, I find clarity. That’s kind of what happened today, as I read our passage in 1 Corinthians. I got it, then I didn’t, then I did again for a while, but then I didn’t. Whew! Please read it in its entirety below and see if the same thing happens to you.

Though as human beings we do not have the ability to grasp the "realm of the unknown where Jesus is," here is my attempt:
As Christ followers, we believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead, to save us from the sin we all incurred due to Adam and Eve’s disobedience. (Eve wasn’t mentioned, but she was surely in on it.) This sin means death, unless we overcome and walk away from the things of this world toward the truth of God’s word. We must stand firm, and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. The end will come and in Christ we will be made alive. We will be changed. There will be no real death, but instead new life. Labor for the Lord is never in vain.

Though I fully understand there is more substance and meaning weaved within the letters and words upon the pages of this tremendous book, we all still come to it from our own place. What other wisdom, direction, or peace do you find within these passages? Seek and you will find.

Read the texts for today here.