Awkward!! Of the over two thousand sermons I’ve potentially heard since 1987, one I remember is about Noah’s lapse. The key point of the speaker was ending our lives well. Some people in the Bible had good beginnings but bad endings and vice versa. Lots of people tell the story of Noah and the ark. How many people tell the story of a drunk Noah? Or how many people tell the story of a disrespectful son who did not do the right thing? It is my prayer that all of us will end our lives well.
It was certainly not Ham’s fault that he came upon his uncovered dad. However, his response was problematic. Instead of covering his father’s shame, he compounds it by telling others. Shame. We all feel it. And sometimes we spread it. As if it is not enough that something that should not have happened has occurred, we gleefully share another’s dirty laundry.
What was the response of Ham’s brothers? Self-discipline. They didn’t go and see so they could point fingers or chortle and tell others the news. No! Instead, they backed up and covered Noah making sure they didn’t look on him. When they had the chance to gloat over their father and show him in the wrong, they rejected that option and chose rather to honor and care for him. And for that they were blessed.
At this time, Noah had spent hundreds of years walking with the Lord. At no time can we be complacent. We must stick close to our Savior. It is too easy to miss the path or get lost if we are not constantly looking to Him. Sometimes a good idea is not so good. Sometimes we convince ourselves that something is okay to satisfy our fleshly desires. Self-discipline. When we don’t exercise it, we often end up feeling ashamed.
Shame. We all like sheep have gone astray. There is none righteous, no, not one. The Lenten journey points us to the Cross where the sinless One bore all our shame. It also sets us on a journey where we can exercise self-discipline. God gives us the opportunity to choose. We can give up something to discover something better. In a world that caters to the flesh, to what feels good, and to “You do you!”, are we willing to do what God wants?
For Reflection:
- Despite our human frailty, God loves us. Despite our selfishness, sin and shame, Jesus diedfor us. How can this motivate us to follow Him more closely?
- Self-discipline often requires what we don’t want to give (up). Reflect on ways we can bemore disciplined in our dealings with others. Did you give up anything meaningful for Lent?
by Katherine Riebe
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