OUR DAILY BREAD : THE UPRIGHT THUMB

[cimi]

August 8
Friday


THE UPRIGHT
THUMB

READ:
Genesis 6:11-22
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Noah found grace in
the eyes of the LORD.
__Genesis 6:11-22
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According to an African fable, four fingers and a thumb lived together on a hand. They were inseparable friends. One day, they noticed a gold ring lying next to them and conspired to take it. The thumb said it would be wrong to steal the ring, but the four fingers called him a self-righteous coward and refused to be his friend. That was just fine with the thumb; he wanted nothing to do with their mischief. This is why, the legend goes, the thumb still stands separate from the other fingers.

This tale reminds me that at times we may feel we're standing alone when wrongdoing surrounds us. In Noah's day, the earth was filled with violence; every thought in every heart was "evil continually" (Gen. 6:5,11). Yet "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD: (v.8). Fully devoted to God, Noah obeyed Him and built the ark. The Lord, in His grace, spared him and his family.

We too have been shown God's grace through His Son Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. We have every reason to bring Him honor and stand strong for Him in our daily lives. He is always near, even abiding in us, so we never really stand alone. His "ears are open to [our] cry" (Ps. 34:15). __Jennifer Benson schuldt

`````````````````````````They show their colors when they stand``````````````````````````
```````````````````````````````For what is true and right;```````````````````````````````
```````````````````````````and those who venture all on God`````````````````````````````
`````````````````````````Are pleasing in His sight. __D. DeHaan```````````````````````````
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It's easy to stand with a crowd;
it takes courage to stand alone

*************************************************Today's Bible Reading __ Genesis 6:11-22******************************************

11 The earth also was
corrupt before God, and the
earth was filled with
violence. 12 So God looked
upon the earth, and indeed
it was corrupt; for all flesh
had corrupted their way on
the earth. 13 And God said
to Noah, "the end of all
flesh has come before Me,
for the earth is filled with
violence through them; and
behold, I will destroy them
with the earth. 14 Make
yourself an ark of
gopherwood; make rooms
in the ark, and cover it
inside and outside with
pitch. 15 And this is how
you shall make it: The
length of the ark shall be
three hundred cubits, its
width fifty cubits, and its
height thirty cubits. 16 You
shall make a window for
the ark, and you shall finish
it to a cubit from above;
and set the door of the ark
in its side. You shall make it
with lower, second, and
third decks. 17 And behold, I
Myself am bringing
floodwaters on the earth, to
destroy from under heaven
all flesh in which is the
breath of life; everything
that is on the earth shall die.

18 But I will establish My
covenant with you; and you
shall go into the ark__you,
your sons, your wife, and
your sons' wives with you.

19 And of every living thing
of all flesh you shall bring
two of every sort into the
ark, to keep them alive with
you; they shall be male and
female. 20 Of the birds after
their kind, of animals after
their kind, and of every
creeping thing of the earth
after its kind, two of every
kind will come to you to
keep them alive. 21 And you
shall take for yourself of all
food that is eaten, and you
shall gather it to yourself;
and it shall be food for you
and for them." 22 Thus Noah
did; according to all that
God commanded him, so
he did.