Day 2: CHOSEN AND SENT... to build a Barge

Called... re-imagining our place in God's Plan (Day 2)

Genesis 6:5-8 (ESV)
⁵ The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
(READ THE WHOLE CHAPTER)

The twentieth century was the most violent in the history of the world. Over 100 million people were killed in two world wars. This past century gave birth to words like holocaust, genocide, terrorism, and suicide bomber. Though these terms may be new, the reality of horrific and unimaginable evil is nothing new in the millennia of human history.

Genesis 6:5–22 records that in the days of Noah the “wickedness of man was great in the earth.” Three times in verses 11 and 12, the word “corrupt” describes the state of affairs in the ancient world—rotten, full of decay and ruin. God is sorry and grieved to his heart and pronounces judgement: “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land...for I am sorry that I have made them.” End of story? Almost, but for a man named Noah, who walked with God and found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

The story of Noah and his ark is often told as a cute and quaint Bible story, but Noah’s world was full of genocide, terrorism, violence, and pure, raw evil. In the midst of it, God chooses and sends Noah to take part in God’s own redemptive purposes. He gives Noah a monumental and ridiculous task: build a floating barge the length of one and a half football fields, fill it with two of every species and enough food to feed your family and the floating zoo. In the eyes of Noah’s world this is crazy, but God promises his deep, abiding and loyal commitment, covenant, to Noah. Twice the narrative states that “Noah did all that God commanded him” (6:22, 7:5) and the writer to the Hebrews reminds us that by faith, Noah took on the monumental task.

Noah’s obedience and faith-filled feat is a stark reminder that God can and will use anyone to be part of his redemptive plans—plans of rescue and restoration. He many not always call someone to monumental, “barge-building” tasks, but he does want his people to be part of his redemptive, gospel-centered work in this fallen world.

PONDER:  WHAT STEP OF GOSPEL-CENTERED OBEDIENCE MIGHT GOD BE ASKING YOU TO TAKE TO GET INVOLVED IN THE MESSINESS AND RUIN OF THIS WORLD?

Discussion or Reflection
Noah lived during an unstable period of history. God was grieved by his creation, and he chose to use Noah as a part of his redemption story. The reason God was able to choose Noah is because Noah had proven himself faithful.

Read Genesis 6:9. Noah followed God every single day. What are some ways that you follow God? Noah saved many animals, as well as people, when he built an ark for God. What are big things God might want to trust you with?