God is not tired of you.
God is not annoyed by your neediness.
God is not surprised by your weakness.
God is not shaking his head or wringing his hands wondering what to do with you.
God is infatuated with you.
God is singing over you.
God longs to be gracious to you.
God is not only waiting at the finish line to welcome you home – but is running every step of the race with you.
You are loved.
Genesis 11
Upon exiting the ark, Noah’s family had been told to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1,7).
But here we are, just two chapters later, and folks are building a tower to heaven with two goals in mind (v 4).
See the problem? God says, “Fill the earth.” The people say, “We think we’ll stay right in this one spot.”
What could possibly go wrong?
Let’s just say that the story ends with “And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of the earth” (v 9).
Then we have the lineage from Noah to Abram through Noah’s sin, Shem. We move through time several generations and we come to Abram and his nephew, Lot.
They are traveling from Ur to Canaan but settle instead in the land of Haran.
To be continued…
Genesis 10
Upon exiting the ark, the Lord told Noah and his sons to be fruitful and multiply – to increase greatly on the earth (Genesis 9:1, 7). And so they did.
👉 Japheth’s offspring become the coastland people (v 5).
👉 Ham has four sons named: Cush, Egypt, Put, Canaan.
👉 Shem’s people inhabit the area from Mesha to the hill country of the east (v 30).
Chapters like this one may not have some big inspiring takeaway in the moment. But, as you take note of names and places throughout the Bible, you will see God at work in people’s stories.
You’ll see promises fulfilled. Kingdoms rise and fall. God’s people persevere. A remnant that always remained. And the whisper of hope throughout the generations.
My husband said something yesterday in his sermon that really stood out to me in terms of Bible reading/studying/teaching.
“If you teach any passage and don’t get to Jesus – you missed the point.”
So, when you’re tempted to skim over a chapter or view it as unimportant because there isn’t a clear takeaway, just remember – it’s all leading to Jesus. Ask for eyes that are always looking for Him.
Genesis 9
This is the lesser known portion of Noah’s story – the one they don’t share in children’s church. The one where Noah gets drunk and naked (v 21).
It made me ask the question:
What are we prone to do when our brother or sister falls in some way?
TWO RESPONSES WHEN OUR BROTHER/SISTER IN CHRIST STUMBLES
We see the fall. We attempt to shame or embarrass the person. We gossip and attempt to rally others to join our pearl clutching and tsk tsking.
We deal with the issue privately. We take steps to restore the person’s dignity. We do not delight in their shame. We “cover their nakedness.”
👉 Shem and Japheth dealt gently with their father in his failing. They covered his nakedness much like God covered Adam and Eve’s nakedness in the garden (Genesis 3:21).
Maybe it’s because I’m reading Gentle and Lowly for the third time but I believe that we are most like Christ when we deal gently with those who sin and those who suffer (and isn’t that all of us.)
Genesis 8
But God remembered Noah… (v 1)
That one phrase spoke to me this morning – God remembered Noah. Not in a “suddenly remembered” kind of way but in an “always remembered” kind of way. Noah was never forgotten not even for a moment.
When he was living righteously in a world that was continually wicked – God remembered Noah.
When he was building a boat in the middle of the desert and enduring mockery for doing it – God remembered Noah.
When he faithfully entered that boat and the rains fell and the waves rocked – God remembered Noah.
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb?
Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15)
When the world is wicked – God remembers you.
When friends are fickle – God remembers you.
When the situation is scary – God remembers you.
When the diagnosis is devastating – God remembers you.
When the rains rock the boat – God remembers you.
You are loved with an everlasting – never forgotten – never forsaken – never standing alone – kind of love.
