Starshine
Opening Prayer
Father, I set aside the concerns that weigh me down, quiet my mind, and come into Your presence.
Read Genesis 6:1–22
[1] When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, [2] the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. [3] Then the LORD said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.” [4] The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. [5] The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. [6] The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. [7] So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created-and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground-for I regret that I have made them.” [8] But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. [9] This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. [10] Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. [11] Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. [12] God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. [13] 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. [14] So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out. [15] This is how you are to build it: The ark is to be three hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide and thirty cubits high. [16] Make a roof for it, leaving below the roof an opening one cubit high all around. Put a door in the side of the ark and make lower, middle and upper decks. [17] I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. [18] But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark-you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you. [19] You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. [20] Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. [21] You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” [22] Noah did everything just as God commanded him. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How did the decisions of the people affect the Lord?In the days of Noah, the Lord was grieved and His heart was full of pain. He felt deep regret and disappointment about the people He had created. They were warped by evil thoughts and actions. The depravity of humans was so great and their wickedness so pervasive that the Lord was provoked to anger and decided He wanted nothing more to do with them. He planned to wipe mankind off the face of the earth. (5-7). Through the lens of today’s world—the news and social media—it’s not hard to imagine what things must have been like. The problems of our modern world are complex and overwhelming at times. Just as in the days of Noah, modern humans are shrouded in evil and darkness. For us, gives us the Noah is a pinprick of light, a symbol of hope. When darkness seems about to overtake our world, we remember how one man’s faith can change God’s heart. God’s man, Noah, found favor in the Lord’s eyes (8). He mattered so much that God developed a contingency plan to save him and his family. God decided not annihilate all living things after all because of His love for the one man of light. God’s dealings with Noah, whom He considered a righteous and blameless pinprick of light, illuminates His concern for every heart that turns toward Him. We who love the Lord are called to shine like stars. We hold firmly to the word of life as we live among a warped and crooked generation (Philippians 2:15,16).
Apply
Take practical steps to resist being conformed to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2).
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