Day 3, or January the 3rd. Is it worth just one
more try? Our thought today is rooted in Genesis
chapter 6, verse 6. The Lord regretted that he
had made human beings on the earth, and his heart
was deeply troubled. First, the big picture surrounding
this verse. One of the most famous accounts in
the whole Bible comes next. God tells Noah to
build an ark or a boat. Of course, Noah had never
seen an ark before, so this was a real step of
faith, and remember, he couldn't Google it for
more information. This was the strategy God used
to save all the different life forms on earth,
including mankind, before the water obliterated
everything. The word used for ark is the same
one used to describe the basket made for Moses
when he was a baby, and in which he was left
floating on the Nile and later rescued by an
Egyptian princess, as recorded in Exodus chapter
2 and verses 3 and 5. The box which stores the
Ten Commandments inside the tabernacle is also
called an ark. When the flood finally recedes,
the ark is deposited on Mount Ararat in present
-day Turkey, and the family of Noah resume their
lives, thanks to their gracious God. And now
our action step for today. Chapter 6 includes
some of the most sobering words we have from
God. He actually regretted making human beings.
I have to admit there are many projects I have
started which have not worked out well, but I'm
surprised that God had the same experience. The
problem was God gave humans free will, and they
chose to ignore his advice and deliberately went
their own way. However, God was so committed
to us that he decided to give us a second chance,
and that is where the Ark of Noah comes in. The
issue is not do we have any failures or disappointments
in our lives, but what are we going to do about
them? If something popped into your mind when
you heard this, it could well be the Holy Spirit
urging you, with His help, to resolve a specific
issue in your life, right now. Don't give up.
Give it another chance. After all, where would
we all be if God had simply given up.