NIV Once a Day Easter
Day 2
GENESIS 6:11-13,17-18,22
Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth … I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.” … Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
READ ALSO 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17-19,1 THESSALONIANS 1:9-10, HEBREWS 11:7 and 2 Peter 2:5.
MEDITATION
Two extraordinary days of judgment have come in the history of our world. On the first, God destroyed all people, except one —Noah (with his family). On the second, the opposite occurred: God judged one man, Jesus, as a sacrifice and a savior for everyone else. Noah was a righteous man. He had been faithful. But he was not sinless. We know that all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. And God had to know that Noah had and would again commit ugly sin. But God showed Noah magnificent favor. And that favor came in the form of a promise, a unilateral covenant, a one-sided showing of kindness so characteristic of the God of the Bible. “Enter the ark, and you and your family will be saved.” Now God makes a similar offer to us: We will be saved as we enter into Christ. Jesus saves us from judgment and God’s wrath, just as the ark saved Noah. The sacrifice made on the day we will celebrate as Good Friday was hideously painful, a cruel and demeaning punishment, the most wretched of deaths. But because of it, we and our families can be saved. That high price is a permanent reminder of the One who saved Noah and the One who saves us. Our appreciation is demonstrated by an obedient response, a total surrender and a handing over of the entirety of our lives. Noah got into the ark in obedience to God. We get into Jesus by the same obedience. And, like Noah, we are saved.
PRAYER
Gracious and merciful Father, you have made it clear that we cannot save ourselves. No one is perfect or even righteous; no one earns salvation. All of us fall short of your glory, and while it is true that some may live better lives, even the best cannot attain the perfection required in order to have fellowship with you. Thank you that, in your grace, you sent Jesus Christ to save me from the judgment to come. I believe in Jesus. I put my whole trust in him. And I ask that by your Spirit you would place me securely and safely in him. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.