Dec. 3 (Day 5)

Read Genesis 6:5-8, 11-22; 7:17-24; 9:7-17

God desires partnership and a relationship with humans, but humans want to do their own thing. You can see this throughout all of Scripture, and in your own life. Can you recall times in your life when, because you chose to serve God and did things His way, you were blessed by the outcome? Likewise, what sort of results have you seen from the times you chose to follow your own wisdom? Too often, we blame God for every tough circumstance in our lives without taking a second to think about how our wayward decisions have brought trouble on ourselves. For example, we blame our parents for harshly disciplining us instead of pausing to realize that we wouldn’t be receiving discipline if we had obeyed in the first place. We make sinful decisions and then yell at God when these decisions make our circumstances difficult.

This had to be what happened at the time of the flood. Everyone mocked Noah for building a boat, but he faithfully did what God told him to do and reaped the reward. When the earth began to flood, the reality of their folly must have settled so heavily on those who mocked Noah, but it was too late for them to repent. God can only let rebellion last for so long.

This passage shows us that God and Noah had a relationship. Noah’s decision to partner with God proved to be a blessing to him, and he became the new ancestor of humanity. Noah could trace his lineage back to Adam and Eve, but every human being born after the flood now traces their lineage back to Noah. By His grace, God’s relationship with Noah saved humanity. How beautiful is this, and how much does it make you long for an even better savior than Noah?

--How do you do things your way?

--What happens when you do things your way?

--What is your relationship with God like? How are you partnering with Him?