When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved.
So the LORD said: “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.”But Noah found favor with the LORD.
Then the LORD said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just. Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs, a male and its mate; and of the unclean animals, one pair, a male and its mate; likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs, a male and a female, and of all the unclean birds, one pair, a male and a female. Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth. Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth every moving creature that I have made.”Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him.
As soon as the seven days were over, the waters of the flood came upon the earth.
REFLECTION
”But Noah found favor with the LORD."
Yesterday's reading from Genesis and today's have a common theme, finding favor with the Lord.
The Lord found favor in Abel's sacrifice to Him. (Genesis 4:1-15) He found favor with Noah in today's reading. When I hear the word "favor" I think of something pleasing. The Lord was pleased with Abel's sacrifice and was pleased with Noah's "righteousness."
Abel chose the best of his flock to sacrifice to the Lord and Noah was faithful and obedient to the Lord. Noah did not let the World affect his relationship with God.
Both of these men were in a relationship with the Lord by their loving actions toward the Lord.
Abel and Noah's focus was on God and not themselves. They put God first and wanted to please Him. Let us show God that we love Him by talking to Him through prayer and our actions. Show Him we love Him and put Him first in our lives.
Let us pray to the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts and actions so that we will "find favor in the Lord." Here is the prayer to the Holy Spirit.
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