UNCEASING SEASONS

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease – Genesis 8:22

Noah had spent over a full year in the ark, preserved not only for a NEW LIFE, but for a NEW WORLD. He didn’t complain of long confinement; rather, he gave a good account of his stewardship. Of all that were given to him he lost none, but was faithful as a steward. Noah was FAITHFUL, but also THANKFUL.

Noah accessed the new world through the act of WORSHIP. Faced with a cold and desolate world, where his first concern could have been to build a house for himself, Noah placed GOD FIRST. His first, unprompted and spontaneous step was to thankfully acknowledge God's favour of deliverance, by building an ALTAR and offering a SACRIFICE (Gen.8:20). Hitherto he had acted on specific divine instructions: a definite call into the ark and another out of it; but he did not wait for a command to express his gratitude! Enthusiastic thanksgiving requires no permission. Genuine recipients of God’s mercy are unrestrained and ardent in thanksgiving, doing it freely and willingly, not of constraint. God delights in free-will offerings and profuse praises. He begins well who begins with God!

God is first and must be first served, and well. Noah offered a high sacrifice upon his altar, “of every CLEAN beast, and of every CLEAN fowl” – not corrupt things! He made no excuse in giving God His dues out of so meagre a stock of animals that were rescued from ruin at so great an expense of care. He could have decided to wait for his flock to multiply before offering a sacrifice, but serving God with our little is the secret to multiplication and whatever brings God honour is surely not wasted!

God’s delight in and gracious acceptance of Noah’s sacrifice of thankfulness was equally exuberant: He smelt a sweet, refreshing savour. Noah touched the Core of God’s Heart and drew from the eternal Wellspring of Mercy: “the Lord said in His Heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake…”! God resolved never to drown the world again. Noah’s act of worship provoked the covenant and divine decree of Unceasing Seasons: “while the earth remains,” the course of nature shall no longer be discontinued! God's providence will carefully preserve the regular cycles of times and seasons, and cause each to know its place. The wheel of nature will keep its track. Creation would remain in the orbit of Order of times and seasons: seedtime and harvest; cold and heat; summer and winter; day and night – shall not cease! WORSHIP births ORDER!!