Grieving God, pleasing God

Verses 5–6 really strike me in this chapter.

The LORD saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.

The LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. (Genesis 6:5-6)

When we see evil in this world, we often weep or are disturbed, but how often do we think about God’s feelings on the matter?

God weeps too. And his heart gets filled with pain too from seeing all the hurt that comes from a broken, sinful world.

How often do my actions cause God to weep? How often do my actions cause God pain?

I’ve mentioned before that because God is invisible, it’s easy to ignore him at times. And it often becomes convenient to ignore him when I choose to sin. But when I do, God sees, and it fills his heart with pain.

But when God saw Noah, he saw someone that brought a smile to his face. In verse 8, it says that Noah found favor in the eyes of God. At a time when everyone was doing all sorts of evil, God called him blameless.

It would’ve been so easy for Noah to say, “Well, everyone else is doing whatever they want. Why shouldn’t I?” But instead, Noah dared to be different.

Even when God gave him a difficult task that probably didn’t make much sense (building a huge boat in an area where there was no ocean or lake even remotely in sight), he didn’t complain. He didn’t argue.

When his neighbors and perhaps even his relatives ridiculed him, he didn’t waver in his obedience.

Instead, he did everything just as God commanded him.

If only I could be the same. If only my life could bring a smile to the heart of God.

Lord, forgive me for the times when I’ve ignored you and fallen into sin. Forgive me for the times I’ve caused you pain and made you weep.

Lord, let me be like Noah. Let me be different from the people around me. Help me to trust you and obey you in everything, even when it’s difficult. Even when I don’t know the whys.

And let my life bring a smile to your face whenever you see me. In Jesus’ name, amen.