Genesis 6:9-22, 9:8–17; & Romans 8:18–25

Find a quiet place, alone and apart from distractions. Be comfortably alert, still and at peace. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Sing or cant the Jesus Prayer. Pray for family, friends, neighbors, and yourself. Slowly and carefully read the passage of Scripture.

1.         Noah, not sinless, but righteous and blameless, walked with God, thus had a personal relationship with God unlike any before him, with the exception of Enoch. (see Genesis 5:24)

2.         Violence had filled the earth at the time of Noah and God prepared to bring judgement upon the people in those days and destroy them on the earth.

3.         God establishes a “covenant” with Noah, assuring their safety and salvation.

4.         God instructed Noah to build an ark 450 feet long,  75 feet wide, and 45 feet high, which would displace about 43,000 tons of water and contain 1.4 million cubit feet for cargo (a cubit being about 18 inches), with 95,200 square feet of deck space.

5.         After a year, those on board the ark, plus all the animals, disembarked. Judgment had been delivered as well as salvation.

6.         Paul, in the first generation of the Christian era, also experienced suffering along with all those who identified as being followers of Jesus. These were already in the ark of safety and salvation.

7.         Indeed, the whole of creation has a shelf life; it is neither permanent nor perfect. But that which is coming is both permanent and perfect.

8.         Paul explains in Romans 8:24 that it is in this hope, the “redemption of our bodies” that we are saved. And for this “we wait for it with patience.”