January 13

Today's Reading: Genesis 6:1-22

If the first four verses of this chapter seem confusing to you, you're not alone. Over the years people have proposed a number of solutions to identify the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men". And none of those explanations are without problems. If you're interested ins studying those verses more, I'd be happy to point you to some good resources.

But today I want to focus on what is clear from this passage. In verse 7 we see that God is grieved by the sins of man. Because God is 100% holy, not only does our sin separate us from God, but God must judge sin. So God plans to bring a flood upon the earth to wipe out his creation, including man. But Noah "found favor in the eyes of the Lord". It is important to note that Noah did not in any way "earn" God's favor, even though he was "righteous" and "blameless". Whenever anyone is described as "righteous" in the Bible, it is always because God declares them to be righteous as a result of their trust in Him, not as a result of anything they do. And the word "blameless" does not mean "sinless". It describes someone who lives their life in a manner that does not bring blame to themselves or to God.

So the question I want all of us to consider today is this: Is there anything in my life - any thought, any action - that grieves God? If there is, will you confess that to God and repent by taking whatever action is required to make sure that sin doesn't become a lifestyle.