As I was reading the story of Noah, I couldn’t help but notice his dedication to God. In fact verse nine says, “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

As a side note, I want to mention that “perfect” in this sense of the word doesn’t mean he was without sin. Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

We can assume that Noah was upright and faithful to God in the same way that Job was.

But the thing that really got me thinking about God’s grace was this: If grace is freely given and unmerited, then why didn’t the sinners of that day find grace in God’s sight the same way that Noah did?

“And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” – Genesis 6:7-8

As I started to dig around, I came across a verse in the New Testament that opened my eyes to God’s grace. Paul writes, “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:10

That helped me to understand the difference between Noah and the outsiders of his day. The grace bestowed upon Paul was not in vain, but in many cases, it is.

Grace is freely given to all, but some reject God’s grace while others choose to embrace it. Some allow God’s grace to move through them, while others discard His compassion and truth. Even if God had told them to build an ark, they would have scoffed at the idea, in the same way that many today reject the gift of salvation and ridicule His word.

Noah wasn’t perfect in and of himself. He was upright and just because he allowed the grace of God to penetrate his life, thus changing the way that he lived.

Jonah 3&4 – Nineveh Repents

Unlike the other prophets we read about in scripture who plead on behalf on God’s people for mercy, Jonah was exceedingly angry at God’s compassion and grace toward Nineveh.

While he should have been overjoyed at their repentance, he was miserable.

I think that the deep-rooted sin behind Jonah’s anger was pride. He was a self-centered man who was more concerned about getting what he wanted than doing what God wanted.

Jonah was angry at the Lord’s compassion as though he deserved more than the people of Nineveh did. This is a problem that many of us have with grace. We see it as something that’s owed to us or earned by good behavior, when the truth is that every single one of us have sinned and fall short of His glory. God’s grace is a gift that Jonah failed to recognize despite his rebellion and sin.

I’m reminded of the unmerciful servant who was forgiven an immense debt owed to the king, yet was unwilling to forgive a fellow servant who owed him much less.

Here’s the thing. Faith isn’t just believing in a God we can’t see or touch. It’s trusting in Him at all times. We don’t need to understand the mind of God, and we don’t need to agree with the choices He makes. We need to obey, and to trust regardless of what the outcome may be.

Genesis 19:1-29 – God Protects Lot

One was self centered, while the other was God centered.