May My Words Be Written Down

Day 8 of 365 days through the Bible...

Job 17-20

Job 19:23-27 - "I wish that my words were written down, that they were recorded on a scroll or were inscribed in stone forever

by an iron stylus and lead!  But I know my living Redeemer, and He will stand on the dust at last.  Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh.  I will see Him myself; my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger.  My heart longs within me." 

These chapters chronicle the discussion between Job and his friends even more.  It seems as though the discussion is escalating.  Emotions are running high and feelings are coming out.  There are several passages that are prominent just like someone trying to make a point has a key sentence in an argument.  However, Job 19 is the passage the jumps off the page to me.  Part of it has to do with Job's attitude and what he says, and the other part is that it reminds me of a song Shane & Shane did a few years ago called (for obvious reasons) "Job 19."  So, why is this passage so important to me?  In the middle of Job's despair, and in the middle of him wondering if God even cares about him any more, Job remembers deep in his heart of hearts that God is still his Redeemer.  It is because of this passage that I feel journaling is important, too.  Job wants his story to be written down and inscribed for all to read so that everyone would know what happened to him.  There are things that have happened in my life (good and bad) that I never want to forget.  If I write (or type) all these things down, then I will have them to look back on as an encouragement of what God did in my life. 

Even after all that has happened, Job still states with confidence, "But I know my living Redeemer, and He will stand on the dust at last.  Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet I will see God in my flesh.  I will see Him myself; my eyes will look at Him, and not as a stranger.  My heart longs within me."  When things are tough and I'm not sure which way is up, I need to be reminded that my Redeemer lives and that when the dust settles, He will be the one standing.  In those trying times, the ache in my heart (or longing as Job calls it) should be for my Redeemer.  Then, Job finishes this passage by longing for that time with his Redeemer, which, in essence, is heaven.  His heart longs or yearns to see God face to face.  This reminds me of another one of my favorite musicians, Rich Mullins.  His life was cut short by an automobile accident when he was in his early 40s.  He was a man whom God gifted with an art to write songs that had depth and passion.  Upon his death, I watched a video where his friends were interviewed and told stories and thoughts about Rich.  One of his friends went on and on about how Rich Mullins longed for heaven.  He knew that this earth was not his home, and he longed for heaven.  It struck me, because, if I were honest with myself, I don't know that I can say that I long for heaven with every breath I take.  Reading this passage in Job, I learned that Job has that same outlook.  I need to long for heaven!  My heart should desire to see God face to face!  I have become too comfortable with this world.  God give me the strength to be uncomfortable, and show me what I need to do to change my heart's longing.

Endurance and Empathy

Day 7 of 365...reading through the Bible in a year

Job 14-16

Job 14:5-6 - "Since man's days are determined and the number of his months depends on You, and since You have set limits he cannot pass, look away from him and let him rest so that he can enjoy his day like a hired hand. "

Job finishes up his reply to Zophar in chapter 14.  But, in reality, he finishes his reply  by crying out to God even more.  In the passage above, he is asking for a bit of a reprieve.  It's almost as if he's asking God, "Haven't You done enough, give me a break?"  I have the tendency to be like Job here.  I would be willing to bet that I'm not alone in this.  In fact, I would venture to guess that many people look for a reprieve or an easier way out.  However, I am beginning to realize, as I grow older, that it's the process that is important.  If I am not willing to endure during the hard times, then I am not giving God His ample opportunity to make me into what He wants me to be.  It is then that I must ask myself, would I rather take the easy road and rarely experience God with any depth?  Or, would I rather explore the depths to which God wants to connect with me?  I have found that the relationship that is forged through pain and suffering is deeper and stronger that one forged through superficiality and small talk.  I'm at a point in my life that I need my relationships to matter, whether they are individuals or my Creator.  I wish I would have listened to God more when I was younger, because this is what He's always wanted.

Job 16:4-5 - "If you were in my place I could also talk like you.  I could string words together against you and shake my head at you, but I wouldn't.  I would encourage you with my mouth, and the consolation from my lips would bring relief."

Elphaz speaks up again in chapter 15.  it seems as though he's getting tired of Job's rants.  He comes at Job pretty hard, and I assume he does so to give Job a verbal wake up call.  However, Job begins his response in chapter 16, and it's pretty clear what Job thinks about Eliphaz's thoughts.  In verses 4 and 5, Job gives a perfect example of how you can empathize with someone and speak into their life (if God leads you to).  The best way to minister to someone in that situation is to put yourself in their shoes and tell them what you would want to hear.  The same is true for intercessory prayer.  I learned this after my wife and I lead a group through a bible study called "The Prayer of Jesus."  The author talks about putting yourself in the shoes of the person needing prayer.  In doing so, you begin to pray differently because you are taking on their pain and suffering and praying accordingly.  The same rings true when trying to speak wisdom and comfort to someone who needs it.  It should always be done with compassion and empathy.

I pray that God gives me strength to endure the trials and suffering that lies ahead.  I also pray that God allows me to empathize and love people that I come in contact with, so that they may experience God through their trying times.

Spiritual Catch Phrases

Day 6 of 365 while reading through the Bible in a year (chronological style)...


Job 10-13

Job 10:12-13 - "You gave me life and faithful love, and Your care has guarded my life.  Yet You concealed these thoughts in Your heart; I know that this was Your hidden plan."

Throughout this whole time of grief and suffering, Job never loses focus of who's in control.  In my opinion, there is solace to be found in that fact.  It's good to know that when everything in life may not seem to make sense, and your world is turned upside down, God is still sovereign and He still has everything under control.  Yet, there are times that I have Garden of Gethsemane moments where I ask God if there is any other way, could we try that instead.  However, just as Job did, I come back to the fact that this is all part of God's plan.  I have to remember that my life is part of God's story and not the other way around.  I have also come to realize that, the more I die to myself and find my identity in Him, the easier it is to withstand these kinds of trials and tribulations.  My true battle is against my pride and my ego.  If those things die, I can withstand anything that may come my way.

Job 11:13-16 - "As for you, if you redirect your heart and lift up your hands to Him in prayer—if there is iniquity in your hand, remove it, and don't allow injustice to dwell in your tents—then you will hold your head high, free from fault.  You will be firmly established and unafraid.  For you will forget your suffering, recalling it only as waters that have flowed by."

In Chapter 11, Job's third friend chimes in, and his name is Zophar.  Like Job's other two friends, Zophar tries to win the contest of who can stick their foot in their mouth the farthest.  However, he does say some things worth noting.  Particularly, the passage I listed above.  Zophar mentions the fact that there may still be iniquity or sin in Job's heart.  So, he challenges Job to confess those things and be free from fault.  While this isn't the most gentile approach to take, there is merit in what he says.  Zophar even states to not "allow injustice to dwell in your tent," which is another way of saying to not let sins dwell in your heart.  Confess them and be clean.  Otherwise, the enemy has his foot in the door, and we all know that he doesn't give up his ground easily.  Then, Zophar ends his thought by talking about job forgetting his suffering.  To me, this is the best part of the whole process.  Once you have endured the pain and made it through the suffering, you reach the other side where there is peace and a feeling of victory.  Then, the best part is, you get to use the things you've been through to encourage someone else who is going through the same situation.  It is this moment that you realize that all the pain and suffering, heartache and confusion has all happened so that God can use your story to encourage another one of His children.  This is where I experience God in a new way, and that's what makes it all worth it.

Job 13:12 - "Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ash; your defenses are made of clay."

As with his two previous friends, Job has a chance to respond to Zophar's ramblings.  He does so with wisdom and understanding.  What Job says in verse 12 is something that hit home with me a few years ago.  When Job says, "Your memorable sayings are proverbs of ash," I about laughed out loud.  Basically, Job is saying, "Zophar, Bildad, Eliphaz, your arguments for why this is happening are meaningless and full of hot air.  Another way of saying this is, "the wise sayings that you keep quoting from are as good as this pile of ashes I'm sitting in."  I read a book a few years ago (the title escapes me), and the author was talking about the religious jargon that we all use.  There was a time when all that seemed to come out of my mouth was one spiritual "zinger" after another.   I would do that with the hopes that the people I was speaking to would hear it and think, "wow, Robert is really spiritual."  However, what I've come to realize is that there are a lot of people who put that façade on.  Whenever I hear (or say) spiritual jargon, it makes my skin crawl.  I long for a day when people are real and honest about who they are and what their struggles are, because that is what the church should be about.  The problem is...that kind of "church" is messy, because you begin to take an active role in other people's lives.  However, I've come to realize that people long for that kind of relationship.  If you haven't experienced that kind of vulnerability, perhaps it's time to reevaluate.

God give me the strength to be transparent and real with all those I come in contact with.

Leaping for Joy in Unrelenting Pain

Day 5 of 365 while reading through the Bible in a year (chronological style)...


Job 6-9

Yesterday's reading spoke of how Job's friends sat with him silently for 7 days, which very admirable.  I even spoke of how that's a good example of what do to with someone going through grief and pain is to just be there with them.  Unfortunately, after reading today's passage, his friends decided to speak...and it wasn't the most uplifting or encouraging word.  

Job 6:8-10 - "If only my request would be granted and God would provide what I hope for: that He would decide to crush me, to unleash His power and cut me off!  It would still bring me comfort, and I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain that I have not denied the words of the Holy One. 


Chapters 6 & 7 detail Job's response to one of his friends, Eliphaz.  In the midst of all Job has gone through, he begins to try and process why all this is happening.  With all the pain and suffering he has endured, he cries out to God, his friends and pretty much anyone to will listen.  Here is where I can connect with Job.  During the most painful moments of my life, I think that I have the perfect solution to whatever the problem is.  Many times, I feel like Job in verse 8 (chapter 6) when he says, "If only my request would be granted and God would provide what I hope for."  However, I have come to realize that my ideas for what I think God should do, and God's idea of what He wants me to do usually don't match up.  This goes back to the refining process I wrote about in a previous blog.  This truly turns into a test to see how faithful I am to what I say I believe about God, because, in the end, I want to be able to say what Job said in verse 10, "...I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain that I have not denied the words of the Holy One."  I would leap for joy in unrelenting pain...how's that for some perspective.


Job 7:17-18 - "What is man, that You think so highly of him and pay so much attention to him?  You inspect him every morning, and put him to the test every moment. 


So, this passage comes towards the end of Job's response to Eliphaz.  This is, however, Job crying out to God.  One of the awesome things about God is that He is big enough to take our anger, doubt, pain and anything else we hurl at Him and turn that into love, assurance, peace and understanding.  This particular passage, to me, is Job's "Why" moment.  It's something everyone goes through.  We bad things happen or things don't go as planned, we inevitably ask God, "Why?"  The interesting aspect of these few verses is when he states, "You...put him to the test every moment."  I have said to people many times that I want to live my life intentionally because every moment I encounter is an opportunity to be used by God.  While that sounds great and noble, the reality is that it's hard to grasp every moment.  It's hard to be aware every moment that I'm awake.  So, when Job asks God why He puts us to the test every moment, it's eye opening to realize that God is continually testing and refining me through every moment of every day.  


Job 8:5-6 - "But if you earnestly seek God and ask the Almighty for mercy, if you are pure and upright, then He will move even now on your behalf."


In Chapter 8, another one of Job's friends chimes in on the things Job is going through.  His name is Bildad.  While I'm sure his intentions are good, his words are not as encouraging.  However, there are some things that can be plucked out and applied to my life.  For instance, this passage in verses 5 and 6.  The main thing that I'm challenged with here is to question my motives as I approach God's throne.  Many times I approach God with a laundry list of things that I need or want.  However, it doesn't come from a pure and upright heart.  I wonder what would happen if all Christ followers took these verses to heart and prayed to God in this manner.  It time for me to check my motives.  


Job 9:19-20 - "If it is a matter of strength, look, He is the Mighty One!  If it is a matter of justice, who can summon Him?  Even if I were in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; if I were blameless, my mouth would declare me guilty.



Chapter 9 begins Job's response to Bildad.  In essence, Job says in this passage, "Who am I to question God?"  This, unfortunately, is a lesson I need to learn from.  God's ways are not my ways and His thoughts are not my thoughts.  It doesn't matter if I consider what God allows to happen fair on unfair.  It's my responsibility to respond the way Job did earlier...to fall down and worship God and say, "Praise be the name of the Lord."  The world watches how Christians respond to adversity, and, unfortunately, the picture that is painted is not very pretty.  My prayer is that when adversity comes my way, I won't question God's motives, but understand that this is another opportunity for God to refine me and draw me closer to experiencing Him in a new and fresh way.  


Praise be the name of the Lord!

Responding to Adversity

Day 4 of 365 of reading through the Bible in a year...

Job 1-5

Passages that stuck out to me:

Job 1:5 - "Whenever a round of banqueting was over, Job would send for his children and purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought: Perhaps my children have sinned, having cursed God in their hearts. This was Job's regular practice."

Job 1:8 - "Then the Lord said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? No one else on earth is like him, a man of perfect integrity, who fears God and turns away from evil."

Job 1:20-21 - Then Job stood up, tore his robe and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying:

Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life.  The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.  Praise the name of the Lord.

Job 2:10 - "You speak as a foolish woman speaks," he told her. "Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?" Throughout all this Job did not sin in what he said.

Job 2:13 - "Then they sat on the ground with him seven days and nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that his suffering was very intense."

Job 5:16-17 - "So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.  See how happy the man is God corrects; so do not reject the discipline of the Almighty."

My thoughts on this passage:

Where to begin...Job is chocked full of things to think about.  First of all, Job is the quintessential example of how to trust God in circumstances that seem dire.  That pretty much goes without saying.  There are so many ways that he is an example of what my walk with God should look like.  As I read these first five chapters, I highlighted just a few verses (I could've highlighted all 5 chapters) that exemplified what faithfulness and trust look like.  First of all, Job 1:5 is a perfect example of what fighting for your children looks like.  Being a father of 3, I know that I would do absolutely anything for my kids and their well being, especially their spiritual well-being.  In this verse Job is making an offering on behalf of his children in case they need to after the previous day's/night's celebration.  He also makes it in case his children forget to make a sacrifice.  It is as if I were to ask God to forgive my kids for something they do wrong...on their behalf.  Then the verse ends by stating that this was a regular practice of Job's.  This challenged me to intercede on my children' behalf even more.  I need to continue to fight tooth and nail for my children's spiritual well being.  This is an area I need to improve upon.

Verse 8 of Chapter 1 is a verse that probably haunts a lot of people.  The main question people ask is, "Why would God allow Satan to do this to Job?"  Allow me to paint a picture...Satan is roaming about the earth, probably looking for opportunities to pounce.  After roaming around for a little while, he ends up in the presence of God Almighty.  God asks him what he's been doing, and he replies that he's been roaming around.  Here is the most important point of this picture to me...God basically says, while you were wandering around, did you happen to run across Job.  Job is one of my most prized pupils.  It's a picture of a teacher bragging on one of his students because of how exceptional they are doing in class.  As I begin to think about this picture in relation to my relationship with the Lord, I realize that there are aspects of my life that need improving.  I don't look down on myself because of it (that's what Satan would want me to do).  Instead, I see the areas of improvement as challenges to overcome so that, one day, God can look at me and say, "Have you considered Robert?" 

So, how do you react when bad things happen?  Job's reaction in chapter 1, verses 20 and 21 is an example of what it means to stand on your beliefs and lean not on your own understanding.  Job did a couple of things through crying out, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life.  The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away.  Praise the name of the Lord."  First of all, he realized that he started with nothing (naked I came from my mother's womb).  Secondly, he realizes anything he attains can't be taken with him in death.  Finally, he realizes from whom all blessings flow, and he worships God instead of cursing Him.  In the middle of Job showing his humanity, his spirituality shines through, and that is something to take note of.  I have had some difficult times in my life, but it is my reaction them that truly shows what I believe about my God.

Satan's first attack on Job was to take away his earthly possessions...livestock, servants, children.  His second attack was on Job's person.  He, in essence, attacked his health and gave him incurable boils from his head to his feet.  There is nothing more taxing than an attack on your health, especially (I would assume) after you have had everything taken away from you.  Job's wife wanted what any loving wife would want for her husband who is in pain and suffering...relief.  However, her remedy was not what Job needed.  She wanted him to curse God so he would die and be out of his misery.  Again, Job shows us an example of enduring through hardships and understanding why we must endure.  He responds in chapter 2 verse 10, "Should we accept only good from God and not adversity?"  This statement pierces through some people's preconceptions of what God is there for.  Today, there are some "preachers" out there that preach all about prosperity.  May I submit this verse as exhibit 1 of my case against this type of "gospel."  Why must we have adversity?  Well, for me, adversity stretches me and pushes me to a deeper understanding of who God is, what I believe about Him and how much I am willing to let Him control my life.  It is then that I realize my humanity and realize that God is bigger than any situation that comes my way.  Am I always successful?  No!  But, I can honestly say that I am having a lot more victories than defeats because I realize more and more that I don't fight the battle alone.

As someone who has been on both ends of "hospital" ministry, allow me to submit Job 2:13 as a perfect example of how to minister and reach out to someone who is going through a difficult time.  "Then they sat on the ground with him seven days and nights, but no one spoke a word to him because they saw that his suffering was very intense."  Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing!  We spent months and months in the hospital with our son when he was a baby.  We had many people come visit and pray for him and our family.  Every single person that came to visit us, came with the heart and spirit.  However, some of them decided to open their mouths and what they said was more detrimental to the situation than encouraging.  Again, I know that their hearts were coming from a place of love and compassion, but sometimes it's best to just sit with someone and tell them that you love them, which is exactly what Job's friends did.  They sat with him for 7 days and nights and said nothing!  Their presence and support of Job had to be uplifting for him.  When I read this account, I realize that this is the kind of friend I want to be.  I want to be the person someone can call on at any hour of the night and know that I'll be there for whatever need they have. 

The last set of verses that jabbed me in the stomach were from Job 5, verses 16 and 17, "So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.  See how happy the man is God corrects; so do not reject the discipline of the Almighty."  This is Job's friend Eliphaz speaking to Job.  Am I happy when God corrects me, and do I receive God's discipline joyfully?  The older I get, the more I can say yes to that question.  I am reminded of the song "Refiner's Fire."  The chorus of that song says, "Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy, set apart for you Lord.  I choose to be holy, set apart for You my Master, ready to do Your will."  It is in this disciplining process that I am becoming refined, so it is my responsibility to accept this process willfully, as Job did.  If I realize that at the end of the pain and suffering I will experience God in a deeper way, then the process is SO worthwhile.  However, it is difficult to have that kind of perspective when your children and your health are being attacked, which is why looking at Job is such an encouragement!  I pray that in any trial or discipline that comes my way that I can worship God and say, "Praise the Name of the Lord!"

Faithfulness, Urgency and Stewardship

Day 3 of 365 while reading through the Bible in a year (chronological style)...


Genesis 8-11


Passages that stuck out to me:

Gen 8:21b-22: "I will never again curse the ground because of man, even though man's inclination is evil from his youth. And I will never again strike down every living thing as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night  will not cease."

My thoughts on this passage:

From the flood to the Tower of Babel…all in four chapters.  There are a lot of things talked about in these chapters from promises to curses to genealogies.  However, the main passage that struck me while reading these chapters was God's promise to Noah.  There are three parts of this that  stick out…first, God reminded me of His faithfulness.  I wrote about this earlier.  With how depraved the world is today, it is not out of the realm of possibility that God would want to start over again like He did with Noah.  However, because of this promise that He made and sealed with the sight of every rainbow, He will not "strike down every living thing."  I am so happy that God is faithful with not just this promise, but all His promises.  If He weren't faithful, this lowly sinner wouldn't have hope.

Secondly, the phrase "man's inclination is evil from his youth," is haunting.  Information is so prevalent today that it doesn't take long for me to realize how true this statement is.  News spreads as fast as the click of a mouse button.  In an instant, I can read about a murdering spree someone went on, hear some commentary on it and probably watch a clip or two.  This brings me back to what I wrote about yesterday…God wants me to be a Noah to the society that I live in.  While God promised not to destroy the earth in a flood, He has promised that He is coming back and there will be judgment.  It's my job to tell as many people as possible about the "Ark" that is Jesus.  However, I don't think that I live with the kind of urgency that Noah or even Paul exhibited.  The Kingdom of God is at hand and I don't want to be found sitting in the stands watching like I bought a ticket.

Lastly, the phrase "as long as the earth endures…."  This ties in to what I have written about previously as well (I guess God's trying to bring a point home with me).  God put humans on this earth for two purposes (as I can see it).  The first reason is to have fellowship with God.  The second reason is to take care of His creation.  It seems to me that humanity is failing miserably at both.  It also seems that people who call themselves Christians are failing miserably at both.  Even those who truly are fellowshipping with God are probably not doing their best at taking care of God's creation.  I know that I'm not.  I don't consider myself an environmentalist or a tree hugger, but just because I don't litter, and I recycle some of the time doesn't make me a good steward.  I  don't know exactly what God is wanting me to do about this aspect of my life, but I do know that I can improve how I interact with His creation.  When I think about the phrase "as long as the earth endures," it doesn't seem that the earth can endure much longer with what we're doing to it.  

Worthwhile Offerings

Day 2 of 365 while reading through the Bible in a Year...


Genesis 4-7


Passages that stuck out to me:

Gen 4:4b - "The Lord had regard for Abel and his offering"

Gen 5:24 - "Enoch walked with God, and he was not there, because God took him."

My Thoughts on this Passage:

There's a lot of ground that's covered in these 4 chapters.  First of all, we read about the story of Cain and Abel.  This is a perfect example of what God asks from us with regards to giving Him an offering.  God wants our best, our first fruits.  Not only that, but He wants the offering to be made from a pure heart.  While it doesn't say what was wrong with Cain's offering, we do know that God was not pleased with it.  Perhaps Cain didn't give the best of his crops, or, maybe he only gave a small portion of his crops.  Maybe it was his attitude that got him in trouble.  Regardless, God was not pleased.  It reminds me of a sermon I heard Voddie Baucham give on insincere worship.  He said that God doesn't want our insincere worship.  He would rather us not worship at all than to worship half-heartedly.  I think the same could be applied to every aspect of our lives.  God wants our best time, our best money, our best talent, our best (fill in the blank).  He doesn't want leftovers.  So, the question is…how much to I prioritize God with regards to those areas of my life?  Do I give to God first, then portion out the rest?  This is where the story of Cain and Abel hits home.  There are times when I am jealous of someone else because of the "offering" they are giving to God.  I began to covet their talent, money, or capabilities compared to my own.  It is then, that I am Cain!

Contrast Cain's life with that of Enoch.  Chapter 5 of Genesis starts running through some genealogies and life spans (man they lived a long time before the flood)!  Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam along Seth's line.  The piece of bible trivia here is that Enoch was one of two people in the Bible (Elijah) that didn't die.  God just took them away.  What a way to go huh?  Enoch gets four sentences about his life in Genesis.  However, what power there is in these sentences.  I wonder if someone had to write 4 sentences about my life what it would say.  Two of the sentences about Enoch were dedicated to who his kids were and how long he lived.  The other two sentences have a similar phrase, "he walked with God."  What a way to be remembered!  My prayer is that people will say that about my life when all is said and done.  However, I've got a lot of work to do to ensure that as my legacy.  We were actually talking about this in Sunday School this morning.  My identity, after accepting Christ as my Savior, is found in God alone.  There are times that I lose my focus of that due to hard times that come my way.  My perception becomes skewed because I look at the "problem(s)" that are facing me and the problem(s) become my focus.  Instead, what God is calling me to do is to look at Him in those situations and realize that He should be my focus.  He's the one that can see me through the tough times as well as the good times.  Now that's reassuring. 

The last thing I thought about while reading this passage was something Gelaina and I were talking about earlier today.  How bad must things have been for God to say that He wants to destroy everything He created?  On top of that, how lonely must Noah and his family have felt being the only righteous person on the planet!!  You want to talk about sticking to your guns!!  This is just another example of how God will supply for all our needs no matter the circumstance.  When everyone else on the planet was turning their backs on God, Noah found the strength to stand alone (he and his family).  I can't fathom the ridicule he must have faced.  As I look around the world I live in, I can't help but think that if God hadn't made that promise with Noah, that He would wipe this world out again and start over in a heartbeat.  However, our God is faithful to His word, and it is my responsibility to be Noah in these difficult times.  It's good to know that God will be there for me in just the same way He was there for Noah.