Today’s scripture: Genesis 6:1-8 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Lynnette Pullen-Bradford):
To be hated by the One who created you — it’s everyone’s biggest fear, isn’t it? To be fully known and completely rejected. Sadly, many Biblical teachings have been at the heart of creating such pain. To be honest, when I read Genesis 6:1-8, that’s the first thing that popped into my mind. Could humankind sink to a level so low that God would regret creating them in the first place? Could I sink so low?
Today is the eighth anniversary of my nephew’s overdose and death. He was young and wayward but sweet and funny. He got mixed up in the wrong crowd and fell into the world of drugs. He’d made the decision to join the armed forces, as a way to get out. To celebrate his decision, he decided to have one last night of partying. He never woke up the next morning. Every year, his mother struggles to make it through this day. Her pain is debilitating and unyielding. People send messages of love and attempt to comfort her, but how does one heal a heart that is always breaking? Truth is, she had begun to grieve the loss of him way before his death and will continue to do so, until she can finally join him. That is a punishment I would not wish on even my worst enemy.
I wonder if God, in the same way, grieved the loss of humankind long before its ultimate demise. That it was love, not hate, that drove regret. To love deeply enough to see that it may have been better that they not be created than to allow them to be forever lost to evil. I believe humankind can never sink to a level so low that we are no longer loved, but I wonder if we can drift so far away that we can be eternally lost.
This verse is challenging, because it seems to paint God in a terrible light, with the whole “wipe them from the face of the earth” thing. I have a feeling, though, that there is a much deeper story here, one that may take a while to study and unravel. I never want to discount or ignore parts because they don’t make sense or seem to portray God as “unloving”. If there was a rumor going around about me that portrayed me as an unloving parent, I would hope those that knew and loved me would assume there is more to the story. I want to do that for God. I want to assume the best and search for the truth.
There are many theories and strategies on ways to approach and interpret Scripture. I am certainly no expert, but there is one thing I always try to keep in mind, with each and every text: God is love. Then, I filter everything through that belief. Looking at it from different perspectives, I try to understand it, as best I can, with my limited mental constructs. If I make a mistake, at least I erred on the side of love.
Prayer for the day: God, thank you for loving us fully and unconditionally. Help us to remember Your love when the world tries to convince us otherwise. Teach us to examine and understand those parts of Scripture that seem to paint You as unloving, so they can no longer be used as weapons against us. Keep us close and safe. In Jesus’ name, amen.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.