June 9, 2026:

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God.” (Genesis 6.9b)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves as we read verse 9. Yes, Noah was a righteous man. (He honored the sabbath and gave glory and credit to God for all the blessings he received.) Yes, Noah was blameless. (He had done no wrong in comparison to the people of his time.) Yes, Noah walked faithfully with God. (He oriented himself toward the worship of the One True God.) Was Noah perfect? Not by any means was Noah perfect. He was given to over-enjoying the fruit of the spirit of the vine. The abundance of that fruit was comparable, I am sure, to that which Joshua, Caleb and the ten spies viewed and tasted on their foray into the Promised Land at Moses’ command. And when we put those two stories side by side, we can draw similarities which continue to inform us even to this day. They are thematic throughout the history of Israel as they moved out from Eden across the surrounding land as far as Babylon to the east and Egypt to the west and Haran to the north and the Arabah to the south. The theme is one of singular righteousness oriented toward the worship of one God. We would remember the treatises put before God about the power of one’s righteousness to save an entire people. God’s commitment is to the entire population. His desire is for them to become as one people reflecting their true beginning as creations of His Hand in His image. He wanted them to enjoy the fruit of the land and be prosperous (without want). He wanted them to become all He intended for them to be by a perfect design which was always in line with His Son whom we call Jesus. God wanted, and wants, us to live into our true potential. We would not be alike as in appearance or abilities. We would find our similarity in the collaboration and cooperation of one with another for the greater glory of God. How we build community fulfills the image in which we have been made and for the purpose God intended. That purpose was to be “one people of God.” However, others had a different viewpoint and a different plan.

This brings us to see how God could not give up on us as I mentioned yesterday. That “But, Noah…” was the profession of God to believe in the works of His hands. God did not give up. God never will. So, with Adam and Eve, Seth, Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, the prophets, the priests, Jesus, the disciples, the apostles and the Church of today, God used people to witness the truth before all the world. Of course, one person stands out among that list. If life were an hour glass, Jesus would be the funnel through which the sand of time passes. He is the narrow one way that leads to the fullness of time. All the others have one thing in common regardless of their names. Paul would say it clearly in Romans 3.23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Still, God believed and believes in the Spirit in each person to not only be redeemable but redeeming. God believes in us to do and accomplish His will. The lesson to be learned in it all, even with Jesus, is that “man” alone cannot accomplish this task. Humanity may find its way to be moral (the complexity of that morality is great and sadly is being greatly simplified with each passing day), but morality alone is not what a people great nor truly powerful. If it did then we would only need six of the commandments and the other 635 caveats which are found in the Mosaic Law. You just can’t legislate morality. Morality is not what saves us. God is. He is our Savior, our Protector, our Strong Tower, our Provider and our Confidence. So, mighty ones of God, as you consider the story of Noah, consider this: you are as Noah and the future of the world depends on your desire to have it said, “But (add your name….)”

TODAY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.