Month: February 2020

Noah found Grace

~ elainesworld1 ~ Leave a comment
Genesis 6:8

I was reading the story of Noah this morning and started reflecting on who Noah was and how he lived. As a child, we are taught that the whole world had turned so sinful that God decided to destroy the world with a flood and only one man was found righteous enough to be saved. That is true…but Noah was a man born with the same sinful nature that all of us have, so we know he wasn’t perfect. Only one man has ever lived a perfect life. What made Noah different from the other sinners whom God was planning to destroy? The answer is the same answer that we have today – GRACE – the same GRACE that is found at the cross of Jesus. We are sinners by nature, just like Noah. We find redemption in the saving grace of Jesus who carried our sin on the cross.

“…Noah walked with God.”

Genesis 6:9

Obviously, Noah lived before Jesus walked on earth. But Noah sought to live a life that honored God. The Bible says that Noah walked with God. There is a lesson for each of us in these two verses. First, we need God’s grace to cover our sins. Second, in response to God’s marvelous grace, we are to walk with Him daily. Talk to Him – get to know Him by studying His Word – experience His love and grace.

As children, I think we get the idea that Noah was the only perfect person left on earth. What is so important to remember is that Noah was a sinner like the rest of us; He was just the only one left who was seeking God in a world that had forsaken God. Don’t you feel that way sometimes, too? Some days serving God feels like an uphill battle. Noah stood firm and obeyed God even when he didn’t understand the end result. We too must stand firm even when life is falling apart and we may not understand what’s ahead. We can trust our loving Father. The same God who saved Noah and his family, saved me and walks with me daily as I like Noah seek to live a life that honors my God. Do I fail? Absolutely! But like Noah, I have found GRACE. I hope you have too.

Confession is good for the soul.

~ elainesworld1 ~ Leave a comment

Confession…brings to mind a criminal admitting guilt in a court setting. (I watch way too much Law and Order). God’s purpose for confession has a higher meaning. It helps to bring about repentence and His forgiveness. I was reading through Genesis 3 this morning. Beginning in verse nine, God begins asking Adam and Eve a series of questions: “Where are you?”; “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”; “What is this you have done?”

God is omniscient. He knew before he asked all the answers to his questions. The lesson for us is that he asked. He wanted them to confess and own up to their sin – the first step to forgiveness. We all know this story. Instead of throwing themselves at God’s feet and begging forgiveness, Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed the serpent and they were thrown out of Eden with punishments that affect us still today. God is loving but God is also just.

My daughter has a son who is almost four. When he disobeys, she makes him say what he did wrong. She is a loving mother who wants to correct bad behavior and part of that is having him say out loud what he did wrong. I don’t think she’s analyzed the process or thought about the Biblical implications, it’s just a natural process in raising children. It reminds me so much of our heavenly Father who loves us so much. He asked the first humans questions he knew the answer to….It was for them. In the New Testament, we are told over and over to confess our sins.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

James 5:16

God knows that as humans we need to “come clean” by saying out loud and admitting to our sin. It is such an important step in being made clean and being set free in Christ. Just like my grandson, Cayden, has to tell his parents what he did wrong, so should we tell Jesus what we’ve “done wrong”…Confess our sins to Him, so we can be made right again and not be consumed by guilt or ongoing sin.

I love that we serve a God who loves us so much that He made a way for our sinful nature to be made right again through His own Son’s sacrifice and resurrection. He also knew how important it would be for us to confess our sins to him daily – to renew our minds and confess our sins to him every day. That’s for us…so we can live in victory and freedom.