In the midst of a world gone mad, shaking its fist at its Creator God and grieving him, stood a single man who was relentless in his pursuit of God. Where we find no morality whatsoever, with sin abounding to its fullest, there was a man who stood upright and blameless in his generation. A man whose words were few but whose character touched the very heartstrings of God. One of whom the bible in Genesis 6:8 testifies that he found favour in the eyes of God.
Imagine a world so wicked and wretched that the very God who created it in all its intricate beauty and magnificence, regretted that he had ever made the world. He decided to destroy the world he made because it pained him a lot. It is at this juncture that we find some of the most amazing words in the bible. Genesis 6:8 says “But, Noah found favour in the eyes of the Lord”. Here was a man who defied the temptation to go with the flow, to compromise his standards and to keep people happy rather than please God. We find in Noah a person of integrity, patience and an unwavering faith. The answer to how Noah found this favour with God is revealed a few verses later in Genesis 6:9. He was a righteous man, blameless in his generation and he walked with God. This simple statement sums up briefly yet talks volumes about the relationship he had with his maker. He was righteous and so had a right relationship with God. A relationship that is founded on authentic worship upon recognizing who God is, and his worth-ship. Secondly, no one could lift a finger against him among his people because he conducted his life with integrity and diligence and in reverence to God. What I find most intriguing in the scripture’s testimony is that he walked with God. I can’t even begin to fathom what it means to walk with God. Does it mean to talk to God face to face? Did God have his arm over Noah’s shoulder and share with him his grand plans for the world and his people. Were they like two besties laughing and enjoying each other’s company. There must have been complete transparency between him and God for them to be that close and intimate. We may not fully know what walking with God means but one thing we know is that God began that walk with another man many thousands of years ago. A man whom he shaped and breathed his spirit into and brought to life. That man with whom he walked in the cool of the day in the garden he specially created for him. But that very man, one day hid from him and was afraid to walk with him anymore. He wouldn’t hold Gods hands as he did before. He wouldn’t talk to God the same way he did before that fateful day. That walk that was abandoned centuries ago, was continued by Noah some ten generations later. An earlier generation’s pride and misgivings was restored by a later generation.
Friends, what does it mean to walk with God? It means listening to God and being attentive to His voice. It means a whole-hearted giving up of one’s own desires, interests and priorities and following in the footsteps of the Master. It means a wholehearted trust on the living God. It means to continue in an attitude of worship and commitment. God has not abandoned us and never will but journeys with us in life through thick and thin. However to walk with God requires an ongoing intentional choosing of keeping God first and before us in everything.
So much so that Noah and because of Noah, his family and a selection of animals escaped God’s judgement. It was from Noah after the flood that human race was recreated. It reminds me of Jesus, God’s own son who became a man so that though his death and resurrection, he could become the only way for the rescuing and saving of many lives.
Sadly even Noah had his imperfections later in life when he became careless and that cost him and his future generations dearly. I wonder whether may be he stopped walking with God. We don’t know the answer to that. However, it is a stern reminder that we need to constantly find our peace with God or we risk being alienated from him.
Today, I want to challenge us myself included with this thought. When God’s eyes go to and fro across the earth today does he find men and women like Noah in this present generation. People who are not afraid to be upright, stay away from sin, remain blameless among the people and who continue to walk with God every single day of their lives. Can we like Noah, ask ourselves whether we find favour in the eyes of God because of the way we live and conduct our lives. Just imagine for a minute, If God is looking for a man or a woman or a family in today’s generation to obey him and come aboard an ark, would that be you?
Julian's Adventures of Faith 