He Remembers!

Genesis 9:16

Can you think of a time when you forgot something important? One time I forgot to pick up our son from kindergarten. When I realized my oversight, I panicked and immediately drove to the school. There he was, standing in the pick-up zone, waiting for me to arrive. I think it took me several days to recover from the fear and adrenaline rush! 

In Genesis, chapters 6-9, we read the story of the great flood. This is a familiar Bible story to many of us. The world was corrupt and filled with violence. The Lord regretted that He had made man on the earth (Genesis 6:5-7). Conversely, a man named Noah “found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” He was a righteous man, and he walked with God. 

The Lord would send a flood of waters to cover the earth, and He told Noah to build an ark. God provided the construction details, and Noah and his three sons worked together to complete the project and prepare to care for animals on the ark (Genesis 6). Noah did as God commanded him. 

In the past, my focus was set on Noah. He was righteous and obeyed the Lord. But this time, I couldn't help but notice God's role in this story. It really caught my attention. 

Noah was called to a specific project, and the Lord gave explicit instructions. In Genesis 7, He told Noah to take his family and the designated animals and birds into the ark. In verse 16, “the Lord shut him in.” It was time to enter the ark, and God shut the door! 

The Lord sent rain for forty days and forty nights. Can you imagine Noah and his seven family members sitting in a floating box for over ten months? There was rain and water all around for many days. They were waiting. They were wondering. What’s next, Lord? 

But God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And, God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided. 

- Genesis 8:1 (ESV)

God sent a wind to blow over the earth, and He remembered Noah. When they disembarked from the ark, God established an everlasting covenant with Noah. 

When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.

- Genesis 9:16 (ESV)

I marvel at God's sovereign hand at work in this tragic event. The Lord sees the righteous and calls us to walk with Him in obedience. My heart is drawn to the verb "remember.” God will remember the covenant when He sees the rainbow in the clouds. This rainbow also serves as a reminder to us that God established this everlasting covenant and He remembers. 

Head to Heart   

Think about a time in your life when you forgot someone, or someone forgot you. What emotions did you experience? Write these words down on a piece of paper. 

The Lord remembers us in our loneliest and most difficult moments. Name three things that remind you of God’s care and provision for you. 

Compare the emotions you wrote down with the reminders of God’s presence. 

Here are my examples: 

• Fear – I know the sun will rise each morning. God is faithful. 

• Anger – I can hear the birds singing every day. God is worthy of my praise. 

• Worry – The flowers are dressed in great beauty. God will provide for my needs. 

Sometimes God is quiet, but He is always present. He remembers you and me!

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