"Greetings Everyone in the Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"
Today's Blog Title: "A Long Wait" (Genesis Chapter 8)
Today's Key Verse: Genesis 8:20-21 "Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offering on the altar. The Lord smelled a soothing aroma which pleased Him. Then the Lord said in His heart, "I will never again curse the ground for man's sake, although the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done."
Personal Application: Have complete faith and trust in the Lord to help us get through all the storms of life.
God in His great mercy remembered Noah. God loved the faithfulness of Noah in his day just as much as he loves our faithfulness today. It took the water one hundred and fifty days to recede. You will note from 7:24 that this was was the same amount of time it took the water to cover the earth. Again in 8:6 we see that the ark was subsiding for 40 days just as the rain had lasted for 40 days. Noah released a raven and this strong bird keep flying until it was able to find land. The dove on the other hand is not as strong as the raven and could not find dry land so returned to the ark.
Noah waited 7 days and send the dove out again and this time the dove returned with an olive leaf. He waited another 7 days and this time the dove did not return and Noah knew then that the waters had receded. Noah, his family and the animals were in the ark for a year.
The fact that God spoke to Noah was another way of showing how much he valued him and his faithfulness. Just as God had called Noah and his family to enter the ark, He now graciously invites them to exit he ark which has been there home and had safely brought them through the flood.
We will note that the first thing that Noah does when he and his family leave the ark is to build an altar and sacrificed from all the clean birds and animals that he had preserved on the ark. We see that the Lord "smelled a soothing aroma" and we understand that sacrifices were acceptable and pleasing to God.
In the closing verses of Chapter 8 we see that God promises never flood the earth again, but God also knew that the conditions of mankind had not changed. God said in verse 21 that "the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth", which is why the flood took place in the first place. Nevertheless the promise of God is that overwhelming judgment will not be repeated (The final judgment will be when Christ returns).
The final verse of Chapter 8 is a poem of powerful effect. These words are a song of faith, the response of the people of God to the promise He made, which should be our song of faith even today.
Today's Chapter Question: How would you have spend your time on the ark?
Noah would on occasion send out a bird to test the earth to see if it was dry. Noah in his faithfulness to God did not leave the ark until God told him to. He was waiting for God's timing. Noah knew even though the water was gone the earth was not dry enough to leave the ark. What patience Noah showed after spending a year inside the ark. We, like Noah need to trust God to give us patience during those difficult times when we must wait.
Waiting in His Holy presence, Silent now before His throne
Let us worship Lord, Jehovah, Bringing gifts to Him alone.
We will bow down before His Majesty,
Loving Him with hearts aflame;
Kings and priests to serve His righteousness,
We will stand and praise His name
King and Lord of all creation; Sovereign in authority;
We will never cease to praise Him, Throughout all eternity.
Heavenly Father, Thank you for your continued faithfulness, and grace to us. May You give us the patience, to wait upon you, even during those difficult times when we might wait, and in waiting, we might receive a true blessing from You.
Amen
Have a God Filled and a Spirit Led Day. Remember that God has been, now is and always will be in control.
Yours In Christ,
Cindi
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