But Noah Was Different...

Grace Notes, being hosted by Stacey, officially began today.

For the last week she has had us pondering Genesis 6:8.  I read through it and the surrounding verses in multiple versions.

What I found has had me challenged and thinking since.

"But Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah."(MSG)

 Noah was different...

Different Part 1: 

I knew the flood came because of the wickedness and evil of the people during that time.  I never noticed how God's own word described the wickedness. 

Gen. 6:5 (NLT) "The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil."

It was not just their actions that were evil.  It was everything they thought.  Everything they imagined.

Did you notice the descriptive words that are then included?  Consistently evil.  Totally evil.

It's not just my actions that He notices.  It's my thoughts.  It's my imaginations.  It's me in the depths of my being.

Different Part 2: 

When I look ahead to Verse 9 , it mentions something else that made Noah different.  

"Noah walked [in habitual fellowship] with God." (AMP)  "He waked faithfully with God." (NIV)

Fellowship.

Habitual.  Faithful.  Not just occasionally. 

With God.  It was his habit, his loyalty.

I have many habits, both good and bad.  Some are hidden, some seen.

One habit that I want obvious, intentional and too established to break in my own life... fellowship and walking with God.

"But Noah was different."(MSG)   

"Noah found favor."(NIV, NASB, NLT) 
"Noah found grace."(AMP) 
 
"God liked what he saw in Noah."(MSG)

"Grace has eyes to see our hearts."    -Stacey