Starting Over

Scripture Verse that caught my attention today: Genesis 6:6 And the LORD was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.

Observation: Sounds like a very difficult day for the Almighty.

Application: I can only imagine what it would be like to look over a span of one’s work—indeed one’s creation—and regret it? To more or less wish one hadn’t even bothered in the first place. Interestingly, however, God doesn’t completely back out. Instead God redeems and saves, uses and reuses. God starts over, but not completely from scratch. And interestingly enough, God continues to start over. Over and over in the Bible God latches on to another person or group of persons and claims them. Most of them go on to disappoint God in one way or another, but God is not deterred. Eventually Jesus arrives on the scene, doing what mere mortals were/are unable to do. And through Jesus, day after day after day, God starts over with us as well. Each morning is but another opportunity to allow our hearts to be touched by the movement of God alive and well in the world—a movement in which we ourselves are even blessed with a role. God may have been sorry, and no doubt often still is, but God has not and will not ultimately give up.

Prayer: Lord, thanks for the opportunity to be a part of your world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(Readings today included: Genesis 6-8 and Luke 3)