Read Genesis 6:5-8
When we hear that something terrible and unfair happened to someone we know, or we see on the news that innocent people are suffering, it is normal to have strong feelings: anger, grief, dismay. We react because we care about these people. If we long for justice, then how much more is it God’s desire?
Back in Genesis 1, when God created the world and people, He said “It is good” about everything. But over time, things changed. In Genesis 6, God saw that wickedness was severe and pervasive (people’s actions and even thoughts). He was deeply troubled and decided to destroy all people and creatures that lived on land—a terrible judgment. Sin and evil had caused so much deterioration that almost nothing was worth keeping—except for Noah and his family (plus enough animals to start over).
Normally, we focus on the anger of God as He exercises judgment. However, verses 6 and 7 actually communicate that God was extremely sad and disappointed about the state of the world that He had made. The word translated as “regret” is derived from a Hebrew root that literally means “taking a deep breath in extreme pain.”7
God feels strongly about sin and evil because He knows how much better our lives should be—and loves and cares about us more deeply than we can imagine. (Noah is an example of God’s mercy and the restoration that He desires for us.) Thus God feels the full range of emotions when dealing with us and our sin.
Sometimes, when I think that God may be angry with me about something, I’m tempted (foolishly) to push back and resist. I have several excuses: “God is being too fussy.” “What is wrong with what I did? It doesn’t hurt anybody.” The prize winner: “Why does He have the right to tell me how to live?”
However, when I consider that God may be sad or disappointed with me, then I’m much more open to clearly acknowledging my sin and genuinely repenting. Picturing God’s sadness helps me to respond properly to His love and correction.
For Reflection:
- What motivates you to seek God’s mercy, forgiveness, and healing?
By Richard Gilliland
