On Prayer (Gen 6:8)

"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord."  - Gen 6:8

If you've been in evangelical churches for any number of years, no doubt you've heard the expression that there is nothing that you can do to make God love you anymore than He already does.  We know that's true, because all of us are sinners who stand before Him in Christ's righteousness and not our own.  Yet there is a difference between Gods unmerited love for you and your own recognition and experience of that love.

Genesis 6:11-14 records the following; "Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence.  God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.  So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. "

Noah was the recipient of God's plan of salvation.   That much we all recognize from the text.  Yet do we recognize that of all the people on earth at the time, only Noah heard the voice of God Most High?   After all, that God is going to wipe out mankind is a rather important message concerning everyone, not just Noah!    It crosses the mind that perhaps God spoke to more than just Noah.  Perhaps He spoke over all his creation.  But whether He did or not, it was only Noah who was listening. 

Psalm 50 tells us that God ever speaks to the earth.  It is by His command that it cycles through day and night.  He speaks to the heavens, and it declares His praise.  Why do we not hear Him speaking over us?  Job 33:14 says, "For God does speak—now one way, now another— though man may not perceive it."  Why do we not perceive it?   Could it be that we are simply not spending time before Him, listening? 

The first part of verse 7 of Psalm 50 says, "Hear, O my people, and I will speak."   Amen. Would we not all say, "Speak, Lord, your servants are listening!"  So He continues to speak (v7b); "I will testify against you: I am God, your God."  At that point we're put off.  Why would He say that He's testifying against us!  Why say such a harsh thing to us?   Perhaps we were expecting words of assurance to our comfort and ease.  Indeed, maybe we're sore tempted to dismiss  anything He says, except words of comfort and ease.  But consider again the first words He spoke to Noah.  Truly, nothing could be harsher than catastrophic judgment against the whole world!  Yet it was those words that would save mankind from complete and utter annihilation.  They were words of favor - but favor realized only in obedience to them. 

Let us listen for His voice, and let us be grateful, even if He speaks a difficult word to us.  All He says is favor for us!  Amen.