Friday, April 11th

Think back to your childhood, at one time or another you probably thought or said the following words, “I can’t wait until I grow up so that I can do whatever I want.” This dynamic continues throughout our adult life also. As an adult the words sound more like this, “One day I’m going to start my own business so that I can do whatever I want.” or maybe it sounds like this, “I’m an adult now, I can do whatever I want.” The truth is that we don’t like people telling us what to do. This dynamic is also true when it comes to our relationship with our Heavenly Father. We love his grace, not so much his rules and commands. We perceive His laws as restricting us, while we perceive His grace to be more liberating.

For as long as I can remember, Christians have struggled with the concepts of God’s laws and God’s grace. They tend to believe that it is one or the other. But nothing can be further from the truth. God in his grace has given us commandments. These commandments are not given so that we can achieve a righteous position with God. These commandments are given because God has gifted us with a righteous standing with him through Jesus. In the story of Noah we see that God granted Noah his favor (Grace). Then God gave him specific commands on how to build the ark. First grace, then commands. Allow me to point out a few things:

• These commandments were not given to Noah as a requirement for grace; these commandments were given because God had extended grace.
• The Commandments were not given to Noah a as requirement to have a righteous standing with God, the commandments were given because by God’s grace Noah was made right with God.
• These commandments were not given to Noah as a requirement to reach a relationship with God; the commandments were given because Noah by grace had a relationship with God.
• The commandments were not given to the non-believers; the commandments were given to Noah the only believer.
• These commandments were not given to make Noah a good person; these commandments were given to save Noah from the coming disaster.

God’s laws are nothing other then an extension of God’s grace. It’s been that way since the creation of man. The bible says that God created man in his likeness and image and then He blessed them. That is grace. Man had not done anything to earn the blessing, yet God freely blessed them. Then after blessing them He gave them the law. The same is true of the story of the people of Israel in Egypt. God first saved them by grace and then gave them and only them the Ten Commandments. God’s commandments are always preceded by God’s grace. Because Gods laws are always an extension of Gods grace.

Bible reading
Genesis 6: 11- 22

Key verce.
Noah did everything just as God commanded him.

Heavenly Father, help me to see your commandments as an extension of your grace. In your immeasurable love for me you have created laws for my well-being. May the story of my life one day read that I did everything just as you commanded me.