Road to the Cross, Part 3
By Colleen Witter Nieman
Genesis, chapters 6–7, talks about the evil in the world and how it grieved the Lord. I wonder if it was anything like today. Chapter 6 verses 7-8 say “So the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth – men, animals and creatures that move along the ground, and the birds of the air – for I am grieved that I made them’ but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord’”.
We all know the story that the Lord told Noah to build an Ark and put pairs of animals in it to repopulate the earth with, and the seven sets of every clean animal, probably for the sacrifice after they landed on dry ground, etc. But think about Noah’s commitment. The years it took to build the boat, while still farming his land to store the grains needed to feed his family and the animals. Imagine the ridicule he had from the community day after day, year after year because it hadn’t rained since forever. I am sure his wife thought he was nuts and tried to convince him not to make a fool of himself and the family.
I am sure that Noah took the time during the ridicule to tell people to repent and turn back to the Lord. Repent before the wrath of God wipes this world out with a great rain! Day after day Noah’s sermons were preached, giving others every chance to repent and turn to God. He suffered years of mocking and rejection, like Christ was mocked and rejected for claiming to be the Messiah, the King of the Jews.
Noah showed faithfulness in time of adversity. It is my prayer that you all show the same faithfulness for Christ. There are kids nowadays under huge peer pressure to follow the “in Crowd”. Standing up for their faith at school puts a target on their back. It is my plea that you lift these young people up daily to be the light to the next generation, so others will come to Christ before it is too late.
