Daily devotion – Tuesday 14th September 2021
As I read the account in Genesis of the Great Flood, of Noah building the ark under God’s commandment, I am always staggered at how only 8 souls entered that ark and all others perished!
Noah, the Bible tells us Gen 6:8 “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” It’s the first time the word grace is mentioned in the Bible. The Apostle Peter tells us that Noah was a preacher during this tumultuous time prior and leading up to the flood – 2Pe 2:5
“And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness”
Why didn’t anyone else end up on the Ark?
Jesus gives us a little insight as part of the answer – Luke 17: 26 “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27 They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.”
People just did not care!
Each Sunday morning as I head off to Church about 7:45 am, I see people going about their business. Running, walking, playing golf, heading to the beach and so on.
Sadly, many people just don’t care about God, their eternal destiny, or the reason for their creation. In addition, just as in the days of Noah, many people’s minds are consumed with all things that are the Bible terms – evil.
Gen 6:5 “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”
God could see into people’s minds then and now and what He saw then and now was not good!
This is the reason only eight souls ended up on the ark – it was a matter of choice and people chose to ignore God totally no matter what Noah said for all those years.
But – and I love that the word “but” is throughout the Bible – there will be many people in these Last Days that will accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour. That is why we the Church exist! To preach, to herald the Good News – the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Maybe you are down hearted as this moment and only see the dark side of events now – be encouraged by the same words that the Lord encouraged the Apostle Paul when all he saw around him was sin – Act 18:10 “for I am with you, ….. for I have many people in this city.”
There are many souls yet that God has given us the privilege in these Last Days to lead to Christ. Let us therefore be busy with the Lord’s work whilst it is still day! Those who will choose LIFE instead of separation from God – death!