Means and Method

Posted by Karah

Pause

Reflect on this quote from the Holman Old Testament Commentary to begin your time with God:

“Man does not earn God’s grace, but he is to respond to it appropriately.”

Turn to Genesis 7 in your Bible and read the entire chapter. Picture Noah and his family, the ark, and the animals. Think about the emotions they would have felt and the things they would have seen and heard.

“So Noah, his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives entered the ark because of the waters of the flood.” —Genesis 7:7

Consider this:

God had been very clear about the destruction that was coming to the world. He’d given Noah detailed instructions about the rescue He would provide. But Noah and his family would not experience God’s salvation until they placed their faith in the means of rescue He had provided. To be saved, they had to get on the ark.

Think through these questions:

The ark was the means of rescue God provided; Noah’s obedience was the method. How does this truth relate to the rest of God’s story of redemption? How does it relate to you?

God is still offering salvation to us today. How would you explain God’s plan of salvation in your own words?

Think about the world today. Where do you see people trying to find salvation instead of in Christ?

The Point

God made provision for His people, but they had to trust the means of salvation He had provided.

Respond

Noah responded in faith in the midst of a faithless, godless world. Pray that you will respond the same way in today’s world.

Salvation is found in no one but Jesus. You can’t earn it, nor is it based on anything you can do. Admit to God any false ideas you’ve allowed to shape your understanding of salvation. Ask Him to help you focus on Christ alone.

Behind the Story

Noah was 600 years old when the flood came. He had lived among godless people for centuries, and now, in his old age, God wanted to use him to start things over. At this point, saving himself probably wasn’t all that important to Noah. He had lived life already. Why spend 40 days on an ark with a bunch of animals only to step off that boat still a tired 600-years-old? Because until God calls us home, He calls us to obey His commands in faith.

Posted in Boys, Devotions | Tagged Camp Ridgecrest Alumni and Friends, Camp Ridgecrest for Boys, Reprinted from ec magazine. © 2012 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Used by permission., Weekly Devotions