Most often when images are given for the flood and Noah’s account, it is in a colorful, childlike manner. Many times pictures of Noah, the ark and the animals are depicted in nurseries, in children’s rooms, in picture books as being serene and perfect.
This is no children’s story. The same God who declared his creation good in Genesis 1, following Adam and Eve’s rebellion, following Cain and Abel, now sees a creation in such sin that the Lord sees that the very intent and heart of humanity “was only evil continually.” Focus is given to Noah for building of the ark and his obedience to God, but more so is God‘s faithfulness to his creation by allowing for the mercy of the ark at all. The whole world and their sin deserve death, but God gave them the option and mercy of life. The whole world deserves death by our sin, but has the choice of life in Jesus Christ.
Noah had watched the world flood and die around him while in the ark. While he was told to build the ark and what to put into it, he did not know what lay on the other side of the flood or God’s plan. When the waters receded and he and his family exited the ark, God’s Word tells us that he built an altar to the Lord and offered a sacrifice to God. The intent of his heart was to worship God truly and honestly in that moment.
In the mist of chaos and strife, it is tempting to believe that God‘s plan for our lives is not good, however in the moment we may not be able to see God‘s mercies and blessings. On the other side of struggles, our hearts should strive to worship God even more so in good times.
Are we worshiping God and giving him praise when, by his mercy and province, we exit a storm or problem in our lives?
R. Faye Richards
