Genesis 7:12  And rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights.

Hurricanes have been dominant news story in recent weeks.  Seeing the rain and flooding brought memories of our experience in May 2010 when we lived in Tennessee.  Today and tomorrow I am posting devotionals that I wrote at that time.

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Many of you might be aware that we have had a bit of rain here in Central Tennessee.  Here in Franklin on Saturday and Sunday we received over 26 inches of rain in about 36 hours.  Saturday the total was over 17 inches.  Never in my life have I seen rain come down like this in terms of length of duration.  It’s one thing to have a cloudburst for 20-30 minutes or for an hour and then see it let up.  But this was different.

Here in Franklin the cloudburst went on hour after hour after hour.  I vividly remember staring out the window in wonder and amazement at it. The stunner was that it just wouldn’t stop.  We talked with people from here and they had never seen anything like it in their lives.  This morning the news is reporting rivers at 10’, 15’, 20’ and 25’ over flood stage.  Fortunately, the sun is out here and over most of Central Tennessee.

I couldn’t’ help but think of Noah and the flood – and that God doesn’t like sin.  It is not the least bit difficult to believe that the flood happened just as scripture says.  I’m grateful for His promise to Noah that He will never again use a flood to destroy the earth.  The sign of that promise is the rainbow.  

The point is that God wants people to embrace righteousness not sin.  Out of His love for mankind, Jesus came to earth.  Through His sinless life, death and resurrection, we are offered the gift of life.  

Through faith in Jesus and obedience to His word we are enabled to live our lives in a way pleasing to God.  God isn’t pleased with the death of the unrighteous.  He wants all to come to a knowledge of the truth.  

Seeing the rain – thinking of Noah – then the flood – God’s judgment – God’s promise – God’s gift – relationship with Him through Jesus – living for Him – eternal life – what a wonder!!