The Kiss

-
Image
  “Ryabovitch pulled the bed-clothes over his head, curled himself up in bed, and tried to gather together the floating images in his mind and to combine them into one whole. But nothing came of it. He soon fell asleep, and his last thought was that someone had caressed him and made him happy—that something extraordinary, foolish, but joyful and delightful, had come into his life. The thought did not leave him even in his sleep. When he woke up the sensations of oil on his neck and the chill of peppermint about his lips had gone, but joy flooded his heart just as the day before.” The Kiss By Anton Chekhov (1860–1904)

Shut up

-
Someone once wrote that Noah found grace in the same way that Paul obtained mercy (1 Tim. 1:16), namely, by mercy's taking hold of him.

When I think of the flood narrative, I realize two things that happened simultaneously: God punished and God saved.

Spurgeon wrote to the effect that Noah and family were all shut up away from the world and no evil harm could reach them. Before the flood the world was so wicked Noah stuck out like a sore thumb. The growing population (if I may) was getting out of hand, accustomed to taking matters into their own hands. "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD" (Gen 6:8). God told Noah to build a boat according to the dimensions of God's grace.

Noah and family were shut up by the hand of divine love.

Noah and family stayed shut up with the God of Noah. They were there by invitation, "Come into the ark". The Lord invited Noah and his family to where He was. Noah and his family chose to dwell with God and God chose to dwell with them. There was as much mercy in those flood waters as there was judgment.

"Floods did but lift him heavenward, and winds did but waft him on his way."

I can't help but think of this (if you know it, sing along):

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!
Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me!
Underneath me, all around me,
is the current of Thy love
Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing,
’tis a haven giving rest!
O the deep, deep love of Jesus,
’tis a heaven of heavens to me;
And it lifts me up to glory, for it lifts me up to Thee!

Now, I really want to say some things regarding the science of the whole affair, but I will leave that to the real commentators. I want to summarize:
  • God observes the righteous (Gen 6:8),
  • God preserves the righteous (Gen 6:13-7:1ff),
  • God delivers the righteous (Gen 7:11-24),
  • God remembers the righteous (Gen 8:1ff),
  • God blessed the righteous (Gen 9:1-18),
  • But the righteous need to leave matters in God's hands (Gen 9:20-29)

Popular posts from this blog

Rock Me, Epictetus!

-
Image
“Keep constant guard over your perceptions, for it is no small thing you are protecting, but your respect, trustworthiness and steadiness, peace of mind, freedom from pain and fear, in a word your freedom. For what would you sell these things?” EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.3.6 b –8 
Read more

The Smooth-flowing Life

-
Image
Legend has it that the astronomer Ptolemy (1st century A.D.) suggested that falling stars were caused by the gods moving in the heavens, thus knocking stars out of their places. Somehow people reasoned that that if the gods were moving, they must be getting close to earth so they would lift their "prayers" or "wishes" (literally, "desires") whenever they saw the stars falling in hopes the gods would notice and grant a favorable answer. But how does one wish on falling star? Once you see it, it's gone before the wish or prayer can be made! The answer is simple: meteor shower. That's how to get your wish. Mrs. Ann Hodges had a wish fall right into her lap. Sort of. In 1954 Mrs. Hodges was sleeping on the couch when a 8 1/2 pound meteorite fell through her house and into her living room where it bounced off the radio and struck her left hip leaving her with a bruise. Not sure what she was wishing, but that's not how to do it. Epictetus hel...
Read more