One Man's Faith Saved the World [Genesis 6]
5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7The LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them." 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
9These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.
Noah walked with God. In the midst of a generation that was completely wicked one man alone walked with God. As I read this I wonder, would that have been me? If the rest of the world were corrupt and "every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually," would I have stood alone and walked with God, doing whatever He asked me to do, no matter how absurd it seemed? If I am honest, probably not. So what made Noah seek God when no one else was? I can see why "Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD." Mankind was preserved because of one man who "was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God!" This is truly amazing when you realize he had lived over 500 years when God asked him to build an ark. (Gen. 5:32)
As I wonder what it looked like to walk with God, the story continues with Noah listening to God as He tells him about His grief in ever making man and that He had decided to destroy them, along with the earth. He then gives Noah some pretty complicated instructions about making an ark. And Noah did this. He did everything that God told him to do.
LORD, we praise You that loved man enough to look for just one reason to start over. Thank You that Noah received Your grace, listened to You and did what You asked Him to do. Even then, You were pointing to Christ, the One man that would redeem us and save the world. You are a God of second chances.
Verna McCrillis, 2/24/2010