Discover your special Gift from God!
Today we finish up chapter 9
Let’s see how YHWH closes out Noah’s life story with a gift and shows us that being righteous doesn’t mean we have to be perfect.
Let’s begin in verse 18
The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth. Noah, a man of the soil, ( sidebar: just like Adam) proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said,“Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” He also said,
“Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.”
The Bible says that Noah was righteous, but it does not say that he was perfect. Ham’s actions were dishonorable and shamed Noah. As a consequence, Ham and his descendants were not blessed by Noah, but cursed.
We have spent 12 weeks reading the blessings of a man who found favor in the Lord’s eyes and how God protected him blessed him. Then God chose to end his story on Noah with an additional lesson for us all.
A special gift…
It would be easier to think that we could never be good enough to find God’s favor if we had to be as righteous as Noah. Well, good news, your Heavenly Father, who is so gracious and lovely, made a point to show us that being righteous doesn’t mean being perfect.
What a relief! What a gift!!
Surrender your heart to live a righteous life with Him. It doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes or that you have to be the perfect Christian. It simply means that your life is fully surrendered and committed to Him.
The last verses in chapter 9 say,
After the flood Noah lived 350 years. Noah lived a total of 950 years, and then he died.
So let’s dig a little deeper, to see what God was trying to tell us here
There are often moments in our lives when we feel like things are happening TO us, instead of FOR us. We might be facing a difficult situation or going through a tough season and it can feel like God is nowhere to be found. But what if I told you that every single thing that’s happened to you – the good, the bad, and the ugly – has been used by God specifically FOR you to learn and grow towards your purpose?
In Genesis 9:18-29, we see an example of this play out in Noah’s life. Noah had just gone through a horrific flood that left him stranded on an ark with his family and all the animals for over a year. You would think that after such a traumatic experience, Noah would want nothing to do with water ever again. But Scripture tells us that after he finally stepped off the ark, one of the first things Noah did was build an altar and worship God.
Why? Because Noah realized that even though the flood had been a terrible ordeal, it was also part of God’s perfect plan for his life. And despite everything he’d been through, Noah still chose to trust God and give Him glory.
In those dark moments of our lives, let’s remember that we serve a good and faithful God who loves us deeply and always knows what’s best for us – even when we can’t see it ourselves. He is using EVERYTHING – the good AND the bad – to shape us into who He wants us to be. So let’s choose to trust Him…and worship Him no matter what!
God was telling us that He is in control of everything
As believers, it is comforting to remember that God is always in control. The Bible is full of reminders that we have nothing to fear because He will never leave us nor forsake us. Deuteronomy 31:8 says: “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” We may sometimes feel overwhelmed by all the chaos in this world, but in the midst of it all, Jesus promises that through Him, we can persevere and prevail. Remember when God created the world, He created it out of chaos. He does His best work in chaos.
His Holy Bible reminds us to trust in Him and rest peacefully knowing that if we place our hope and trust in Him, He won’t let us down. Let us cling to this truth—God was clearly telling us that He is ultimately in control of everything!
He is the one who decides what happens in our lives
It is easy to blame circumstances or others when things in life don’t happen the way we would like them. Instead, let’s turn our attention to the Almighty Creator. He knows what will happen in our lives and He is ultimately the one who decides it or allows it. We are all part of His plan and can trust that He will work out every detail for our good. It brings comfort to know that He holds us securely in His hands and can look ahead into the future – guiding us each step of the way along life’s path. Let us take courage knowing that our situation is never too far gone for Him and have faith that His ways are always best.
We need to trust Him and His plan for us
When we surrender our lives to His plan and trust Him, we open the door for Him to be limitless in His provision. The Lord knows what is best for us and His timing is perfect – even when it doesn’t feel like it. He often leads us through difficult seasons so that we can come through on the other side as a stronger, wiser person. With every trial, He gives us a chance to strengthen our faith in Him as well as an opportunity to share this same hope with others. We don’t always have all the answers but by following His guidance, we can have confidence that God is always with us and His plans are designed not only to protect us but also to bring glory to His name in all things.
Even when things are tough, we need to remember that God is with us and will never leave us alone
Whenever life becomes too much to handle, it’s important to remember the promise that God never leaves us. Despite the difficulty and pain we may experience throughout our lives, the Lord will sustain us and offer solace even when we don’t think it is possible. His love is perfect and enduring, unmatched in its magnitude – no matter what circumstance comes your way, God will be right there with you. When we keep our focus on Jesus during times of struggle, He will lead us through each step of our journey until we reach freedom and victory. Let us remember on our tumultuous paths that nothing can separate us from His comforting embrace!
No matter what storms we face in life, whether they are mental health issues or any other kind of hardship, we need to remember that God is sovereign and He is in control. His plan for us is always good, even when we can’t see it at the time. We need to trust Him and turn back to Him whenever we feel like we are lost. If you are struggling today, I encourage you to repent and study the whole Bible from start to finish. It is a source of hope and comfort in all circumstances.
I hope that you have enjoyed this deeper story into Noah’s life as much as I have. Please feel free to share and bless others with these Manna Moments on Noah.