Today’s meditation is drawn from Genesis chapter 6, focusing on the context leading up to verse 8. Before we consider God’s grace, we must first examine verse 7, where God says, “I am sorry that I have made them.”
We know that the earth was destroyed by water in Noah’s time because it had become corrupt and was filled with violence. This corruption reached God and resulted in judgment.
Let us take this seriously and examine our own hearts and inner conscience. Are there activities, words, or thoughts in our lives that hinder our relationship with God?
While we may not be involved in violent acts, we may still entertain thoughts or attitudes that displease God and bring us under judgment.
Today, let us list such things honestly before the Lord, as instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22, and ask for forgiveness:
“Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21–22
Ephesians 1:7 reminds us that forgiveness is available through God’s grace:
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7
In Genesis 6, we see that God was grieved over the creation of mankind. Yet, in the very next verse, grace appears.
Noah was not perfectly righteous, but he was righteous among his generation, set apart in comparison to those around him.
This is the first occurrence of the word “grace” in the Bible:
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” — Genesis 6:8
Similarly, the first occurrence of “grace” in the New Testament appears when God’s grace is revealed to humanity through Christ (Luke 1:30).
God’s grace is made available to us, but we must enter into it through repentance, and confession.