Friday, July 6, 2018

Noah's Sons

I've been thinking about Noah's sons and the licenses people write for themselves.

"And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him." - Genesis 9:20-24 KJV

It's funny how when we are uncomfortable (like when it is very hot) we can also become rude or irritable. We no longer hold the same standards of behaviour because our behaviour can be self-regulated and mankind after the fall can live in self-regulation.

Two of Noah's son's lived in pre-planned honour. No one had ever gotten drunk before. What Noah did had no precedent. There were no rules for what you do and don't do in that situation because it had never happened before but two of Noah's sons lived a life of gratefulness. Noah had saved the world by being obedient to God. These two men found the right thing to do. They didn't have rules with exceptions. They had grace.

"But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." - Genesis 6:8 KJV

Yes. So did these two men.

We can't always have a preplanned response but we can live in preplanned honour, love and forgiveness because that is what God has given us. That is how the Trinity lives towards one another and towards us.

In that attitude, we will 'find' a response and it will be one of covering and respect in an attitude of thankfulness.

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