BECAUSE OF ONE RIGHTEOUS MAN
As I sit here this morning listening to the rain falling outside my window, it is appropriate that I am going to be talking about when the Lord flooded the earth. But, that is not what I had intended today’s post to be about. I had intended to write about Peer Pressure but the Lord had other plans. I try to pay attention to cues that I might be given through the week and I thought I had picked up on one but then when I read my morning devotional it came clear to me that what I needed to talk about was something different.
I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I had received a wonderful gift from a blog reader friend and that it was a journal. It is called Write The Word and these journals are available with different topics in mind. The one that I received is on Faith. My section of the Bible highlighted to read today was Genesis 6: 5-7
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”
The Lord saw
This was not an uplifting few verses to read. The first thing that jumped out at me was that the Lord “saw.” He knew, He saw, there is no hiding our deeds from the Lord, He sees all. We can hide what we do from our neighbors and friends but we can not hide from His all knowing and all seeing eyes.
Every Inclination
“That every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil.” I am just like most of you and I have to admit that I sometimes have thoughts in my heart that aren’t pure. I hate to say evil because maybe that is what they are. I can hold a grudge against someone. I can find glee in the fact that they didn’t win or achieve something if they had wronged me in some way. I don’t wish death or destruction on them but I might not wish them success either. This may not be “evil” but it is still not right. However, the Lord said EVERY inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was ONLY evil. Whew! I don’t think that I fall into THAT category. Can you imagine? Every thought, no thoughts that were ever for good? Their hearts only knew EVIL!!! The rest of that verse continues with, ALL THE TIME. Every thought was only for evil all the time!
Regretted and Troubled
The Lord regretted that HE had “made” human beings on the earth, and HIS heart was “deeply” troubled. This is only chapter 6 in the book of Genesis. A few chapters earlier the Lord had made man and was “VERY” pleased. Now, He regretted ever making man, ever breathing life into the dust, ever making man in His image, and His heart was deeply troubled. I wish that I could say that the Lord never regretted making me and I wish that I had never given the Lord reasons to trouble His heart. But, the truth is that I don’t know the answer to that question. I do know that when I look at my own children that I can say that I have never “regretted” being a part of their creation. I can not say that they have never “troubled” my heart.
Wipe From the Face of the Earth
Woah! This is completely different from being disturbed and troubled. The Lord wanted a fresh slate, a do-over. He looked into the hearts of EVERYONE and found them to be evil. He wanted to wipe them off the face of the earth. Can you imagine the pain that He must have felt? He not only wanted to wipe man from the earth but He was willing to wipe out all of the animals and the birds and all of the creatures that crawl on the ground.
We know what happened next. There was one man, Noah, who found favor in the Lord’s eyes. One man who walked with the Lord. The Lord saved Noah and his wife, his sons, and their wives. He saved at least 2 of each animal when he instructed Noah to build the Ark and to bring them onboard with him. One man, one righteous man, saved our world.
The world around us might seem like it is beyond help at times. I know that I find myself thinking that the world is corrupt, evil and that the Lord regrets ever creating it. And then I think of Noah. Do I know of good people in this world? YES! The world might have lost a good man this past week when Billy Graham passed away but there are others. When the world seems too full of evil we need to be the ones who light the way for others. We need to let the light of the Lord shine in us.
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Yes, it is still raining but the Lord has promised to never flood the earth again. Instead of worrying about the world and the things that I can not control, I will be on the lookout for his promises of a rainbow.
Have A Blessed Day!
What a great post. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you Tania!! Great post!!!
I love your style. I love your flair for fashion. I love your willingness to share it daily for our (my) pleasure and inspiration. But I love your Sunday insights the most! While we are of different faiths, we believe in the Same, Everlasting God, our Father. We feel his love and care for us. We are both filled with hope, faith and love in our Elder Brother Jesus Christ has for us. I am grateful I found your blog and grateful to be your Sister in Christ. I hope you have a blessed day of rest!
Such a good thought today. Thank you!
Thank you Tania for your wonderful message and for sharing the gospel. I have been following you for several months and enjoy your fashion and your messages. Nice for us 50 something ladies to look forward to every day!
I’m so very happy that I happened upon your blog. I especially look forward to your Sunday posts. Thank you
Great devotion, Tania! Thanks!
Once again Tania I realize why I was led to your blog. The clothes, etc are fun but your Sunday devotional is really what I need. Thank you. ?
Beautiful devotion! Thank you Tania?
Tania, thank You for your Devotional today, I really enjoyed your post.
Thanks for a great start to my day!!!?
Thank you for this. It is food for thought.
Thankyou Tania that was a beautiful message! It really touched my heart!!! God Bless You ❤️
I enjoyed reading your “devotional” post this morning with my coffee. My kids just gave me last night for my birthday the daily devotional book “Jesus Calling” as I had heard so many good things about it. Have a blessed Sunday!
Thanks, I needed that! Have a wonderful Sunday.
Thank you for reminding us to let our light shine. Our world needs it. Great post.
Yes, we are having ice rain for the third day this week. It melts & then we get freezing rain again up here in northern Wisconsin. So tired of driving with white knuckles. Yet, 1 Thessalonians 5:1 instructs us,”Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” The evil part of me is screaming “Enough already!” Thanks-
I love reading your daily blogs but Sundays are always my favorite ones to read. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you! I will look for other righteous men/women. . Maybe I should also look to myself to light the way.
Great devotion today. I love your fashion posts, but you always uplift me on Sunday!
Thank you, Tonya for your devotional today. I have had the same thoughts about how evil our world has become. We as Christians are the ones that have to turn the evil around. Starting with out children and teaching them about God and all of his goodness. We need to plant our seeds for Jesus every single day.
How true the reading is of today’s world!!! Saddens me so what our country has become.
Thank you for this post and for being you. The world today troubles me. After reading your post, I am going to stop fretting and start being positive in my little corner of the world.
Thank you for your Sunday writings. Not only do you care what we look like, your care about our hearts ♥️
God did all he could to prevent the destruction of his children—including giving the people one of his greatest preachers of righteousness to try to get them to change. I often think that the Flood was the baptism of the earth, and that earth and the people could begin again. I’m grateful that God is always giving us another chance to change and get better. I love the saying “When you know better, do better” I really enjoy all your post you always lift my days.
Julia, your observation that the flood was the earth’s baptism was a whole new way for me to see that situation. I’ve never heard it described that way. But it makes perfect sense to me. Thank you.