Genesis 6:8-9; 22 - "Take My Life"

The story of Noah was always a favorite of mine growing up. As an adult, verses twenty through twenty-two of chapter eight of Genesis have taken on great meaning in my life. They read:

^“20 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. ²¹ The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

²² ‘As long as the earth endures,
seedtime and harvest,
cold and heat,
summer and winter,
day and night
will never cease’” (NIV)

Noah was obedient in building the ark and doing exactly as the Lord directed in taking the animals into it. He was obedient in waiting on the water to subside. When everything was over, he built an altar to give a sacrifice to God. Every step of the way showed Noah’s obedience. The result of his obedience was God keeping His promise to never flood the earth again to the point of destroying all living creatures. Noah’s obedience was blessed. As I walk in obedience, I am blessed. I see Noah thinking of God first in verse twenty. He could have started building a house when the doors of the ark were opened but instead He built an altar for God. The idea that Noah sacrificed one of his few animals showed his faith in God. He knew God would provide in the days to come. This sacrifice was the first act of worship in his new life. Noah is an example I chose to follow. The desire of my heart is to please God every day in whatever way possible. Genesis 6: 8-9 reads, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord…” (NIV). The reason Noah found this favor was because "Noah did everything just as God commanded him" (Genesis 6:22). If we want to be described in the same manner we must live in the same manner. God must come first in our lives. Whatever He tells us to do, wherever He sends us, etc. need to be what we do. Noah's worship of the Lord showed deep faith and trust. I want the same said of my life.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for giving us the example of Noah. Thank You for encouraging me to live a life of obedience. I praise Your Holy Name for the way You bless me. I praise You for Your cleansing power that enables me to live for You. I praise You for the way You direct my steps. Lord, I want to be more like You. I desire to live more for You. Fill me to overflowing with more of You so I can be more of who You desire me to be. Thank You Jesus for the blessing of yesterday with Katelyn coming over to bake cookies. Thank You for the way You lead me through my school work. Thank You for Tiffany helping me with getting the tote down so I could get out my fall decorations. These things may seem silly to some but they were great blessings to me. Thank You Jesus for being The One To Bless Me. Amen.