2 Samuel 12-13

Luke 16

“…Noah came out, together with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. All the animals and all the creatures…came out of the ark, one kind after another. Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and…he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.”       —Genesis 8:18-20

In the book of Genesis, after creation, God saw how corrupt the world was and decided to destroy everyone by flood except for Noah and his family because Noah was a righteous man, walking faithfully with God. God gave Noah specific details in Genesis 7 on how to build an ark and the kind of animals he was to bring with him. When the flood came, Noah and his family passed through the waters unharmed because they took refuge in God’s provision of salvation—the ark. Noah and his family were in the ark for a year. If we were in Noah’s case, what would we do after being locked down in an ark with our family and a bunch of smelly animals? We could possibly relate to Noah’s situation as we were in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Scripture tells us, “Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it” (Genesis 8:20). Instead of expressing his anger and frustration, or airing his perspective about being in an ark for more than a year, the first thing Noah did was build an altar, bowing down and expressing his gratitude for God’s provision, God’s protection and God’s promises being fulfilled. Noah worshipped God, giving thanks to God because he knew he was unable to save himself, but God was merciful to him and his family.

As God watched and received Noah’s worship, we are told, “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’” (Genesis 8:21). God was pleased by Noah’s worship and established a promise in His heart to extend grace, mercy and blessings to humanity in spite of our condition. Notice “the LORD said in His heart,” although Noah was not privy to this information, the writer of Genesis gives us insight at the counsel of God. Noah’s worship released blessings and restoration to creation. 

  Genesis 5:28-29 tells us, “When Lamech had lived 182 years, he had a son. He named him Noah and said, ‘He will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.’” It was Noah’s father’s prayer in naming Noah that he would bring comfort for the ground cursed because of sin. Through Noah’s life of worship as he walked with God, comfort and rest was the outcome. 

For us, God is not demanding our perfection, but a life of praise. How can we worship Him today?

Lord Heavenly Father, I come before You in worship, offering my life into Your hands. Thank You for Your grace, mercy and blessings in my life.