A Thought

Tonight we listened to a sermon about the account of the flood. The point was made that the story is told with no detail of Noah's thoughts or feelings. We just don't know anything about that. It was also mentioned that we really know very little of the realities of the human experience during the whole thing; that in fact, when we retell the story, we often embellish with conjecture of our own imagining. Surely it is hard not to ask all those questions about the building of the ark and the many logistical curiosities on the ark - for a year, no less.

I wondered tonight, though, about "why" God is so brief about things that we would've spent much space and effort telling. I might suggest that it could be our emotional response *should* be based only on what God revealed: that men were evil, that mass destruction was the consequence, and that Noah was righteous enough to be spared by God through his obedience as God instructed him.

If I concentrate on that - on just what is recorded for us - I find myself feeling grief over such a tragedy. How devastating it surely is for God to watch His masterpiece be maimed to the point that He just wants to scrap the whole thing. The point was made tonight as well that we don't see Noah speaking at all until after the flood account is complete. He simply obeyed all that he was commanded.

My other response is admiration for Noah's trust and radical obedience. Even greater is the awe as we see God spare of small piece of the masterpiece in order that He might start all over, knowing that men will still be evil.

It's surely interesting to imagine what all may have transpired that is not recorded, but I think it was good to reflect tonight on just what God shared and no more. Our immediate and complete obedience *is* required. No arguing. No watering down. No excuses. Period. The flood is also a very stark reminder of how ugly and destructive our sin is and how generously merciful God is to fool with us at all, let alone that "it pleased the Lord to bruise [Jesus]" for us. Isaiah 53:10 .