Onward & Upward

First Grace… Noah

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crcolburn

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But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

Genesis 6:8

Yesterday we asked the question: “What do you see about the character of God’s grace based on its first mention?”

I chewed, brewed, and stewed over this first mention of grace as well as the life of Noah yesterday. Here are my thoughts.

1. Noah found grace. To find something comes as a result of either accidentally stumbling upon it or intentionally seeking it. Which is it in the case of Noah? Take into consideration Hebrews 4:16 – Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Noah was seeking grace, and on no merit of his own, he found it in the eyes of the Lord.

2. The grace Noah found was sustaining. From the time he is instructed to build the ark until the time of the flood 120 years will pass. He is described in 2 Peter 2:5 as a “preacher of righteousness.” He is described in Hebrews 11:7 as a man who had faith and the fear of God. One grace-filled day at a time and he preached the truth and obeyed by faith. Nobody believed him, and nobody but his family followed him into that ark, he survived by the sustaining grace of God.

3. The grace Noah found was a blessing to his family. They followed his leadership and instructions and were spared the judgment the rest of the earth faced. Grace-paced people are a blessing to others through their influence.

4. The eyes of the Lord are open to those who need and seek grace. Proverbs 15:3 reads: “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Though the overwhelming majority of humanity was continually evil in the days of Noah, his minority status did not conceal him from God’s eyes. God is not a respecter of persons, and no matter how powerless or insignificant we may feel his eyes are open to us when we are seeking his grace.

What did you find? Anything different? Feel free to comment below.

-C.R.

Comments

2 responses to “First Grace… Noah”

  1. Carol Rhodes Avatar
    Carol Rhodes

    Woke up thinking what first mention would be, this passage came to mind. Excellent food for thought today,(as always), thank you! Had been thinking of the beneficial acts of God not based in the merit of the recipient but in His great goodness, and thought of the coats of skins and of the birth of Seth. The creation of woman only occurred to me when I actually opened to Genesis. (? 😎😁?) The “Supreme Court”‘s rulings weigh heavy, etc,etc, we mock our dollar’s assertion ‘in God we trust’. Two decades I have prayed He will do whatever it takes to turn us back to Him. Chastisement is far better than Ichabod. Bringing brief Daniel 9 intercession, I mentioned missions, not yet forsaken in America or our churches and homes. Received then in my devotions today the Great Commission in Matt 28.
    As Noah, the preacher of righteousness, found grace in the eyes of the Lord he loved, served and obeyed, and was preserved to God’s glory, so may we be as the teaching of all nations goes forward. From my devotions on Sunday, “I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on us”… Isaiah 63:7a

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  2. Joann Oliver Avatar
    Joann Oliver

    Well, first, I thought this first mention thing, meant I had to consider only the place it was first mentioned. So, honestly, if I didn’t already believe that grace is unmerited favor, I wouldn’t get that from this chapter. The beginning of the chapter describes horrendous wickedness to the point where it repented God that he had made man, and decided to destroy him and every creeping thing and fowl. But Noah found grace. Verse nine tells us why. He was just. He was perfect in his generations(I don’t really know what that means). He walked with God. My observations about the character of God in chapters 6 and 7 are:

    1. Noah was singled out because he walked with God and was just.

    2. God told Noah to do something.

    3. Noah did what God told him to do. In doing it he demonstrated faith. He demonstrated long lasting faith that would require years of steadfast walking with God. He believed that God would do what he said he would do.

    4. Noah tried to impact those around him, because he believed God is who he says he is and he would do what he said he would do.

    5. God did what he said he would do, because he is who he says he is.

    In this time we are living in now, there is even more urgency to make an impact on those around us. God is who he says he is. He has told us what he is going do do about the wickedness in our world. He has given us signs to encourage us that he is coming. Satan knows the time is near and has ramped up the deception, the chaos, the hate. God will do what he says he will do, and he will give us grace through it if we walk with him. Grace to walk in faith. God is faithful. Thank you for the challenge! Jo Ann

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