Model of Grace

The Sunday school curriculum for this quarter provides several lessons from Genesis.  We spent a Sunday reviewing the story of Noah.

In Genesis 9, God says, "Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you, ....  I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all fresh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.  (8:9-12)

The Sunday school curriculum pointed out that this is a one sided covenant.  God is actually making no demands of Noah.  He doesn't ask Noah to behave any differently than he had before.  He offers relationship with no repentance.

Are we willing to offer relationship without repentance?  Are we willing to move forward with forgiveness without repentance?  Will we offer grace without repentance?

I think we often don't.  We often think, "I forgive when he says he's sorry."   We withhold grace until an apology is offered -- until the other person admits the wrong.

It's not the same situation as found in the Noah covenant.  I imagine we don't measure up to the one person God could find on earth who was worthy of salvation from the flood.  Still, though, God's covenant with Noah is a model for us of grace.  And it's a great model.