July 13 Daily Devotional

Monthly Theme:

By God’s Word and Spirit the world was made, and he uses the same tools to rebuild the creaking cosmos. God does not save some souls from the wreckage of the planet; instead, the whole groaning creation must be delivered from bondage by the love and power of God.

Bible Reading:

Genesis 6:9–22

Bible Text:

Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. God saw how corrupt the earth had become (Gen. 6:11--12).

Devotional:

In the centuries that passed from Adam to Noah, humanity degenerated so much that "the earth was corrupt ... and full of violence."

God "saw" the earth's corruption, says the Bible. This statement reminds us of another "God saw," recorded at the conclusion of the creation story: "God saw all that he had made, and it was very good" (Gen. 1:31).

What he saw on the morning of creation delighted the heart of God. But what he saw in the days of Noah was intolerable to him. Then God had second thoughts about having human beings in his world. He decided to get rid of them. He decided to wash the whole earth clean and make a new beginning with Noah's family—because "Noah was a righteous man."

God spoke of human beings as an experiment he never should have begun. "I am grieved that I have made them" (Gen. 6:7). People weren't merely sinful; they were rotten. God gave humans the freedom to ruin their lives and to destroy whatever he gave them, and they filled the earth with violence. Their violent actions reflected the corruption of their hearts.

This simple and direct story of God's reaction to the people of Noah's time should make us realize anew that this world has a Judge. Today God seems slow to act. But God knows all who are corrupt or upright. His judgment will be fair.

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published in 1994. This edition is copyright by Faith Alive Christian Resources, from whom may be ordered Daylight, the predecessor of Twilight.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this edition of Twilight are from the New International Version

Be sure to read the "Preface" and the "Acknowledgments" by the author.