This past week I was sitting on a screened in porch early on Monday morning and was reading about the times of Noah. I went to Genesis 6 and in verse 5 and 6 we can read, "Now the LORD observed the extent of the people's wickedness, and He saw that all their thoughts were consistently and totally evil. So the LORD was sorry He had ever made them. It broke His heart." (NLT) In Genesis 1:31 God states that the creation was "abundantly or exceedingly good." Yet by the time of Noah He was heartbroken by what man had turned out to be. The translation of verse 6 in chapter 6 speaks to an emotional pain that leads to embarrassment and/or anger, which leads God to strike out in judgment against the source of His distress. As I read these three verses that morning on the porch I was elated by the joy in my heart when God said that His creation was abundantly good. However, just a few minutes later my heart was saddened to know that mankind had become so evil in all their thoughts and desires that God was sorry He ever created them and His heart was broken. As I read a hope and encouragement came over my soul as I remembered the forgiving power of God and His plan to reconcile us with Himself through the gift of His Son on Calvary. Although we may be living in a time just as evil as the times of Noah, God is ever reaching out to us with forgiveness, grace and mercy. His love is so strong that He desires to have a relationship with us that knows no bounds. Today, that is the relationship I pray everyone will find in their lives. May you find that true, real and meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
