As I soul searched with our Father about this week’s blog, I was led to read Genesis 9:20-24 ESV. It states, “Noah began to be a man of the soil, and he planted a vineyard. He drank of the wine and became drunk and lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father’s nakedness.”
As I meditated on the scriptures, this thought came to my mind: We must cover one another. Now wait a minute. Does that mean we should hide each other’s transgressions? I mean, Noah was drunk. We can’t forget that. Can we? Well, the fact is we’ve all fallen short of the glory of God, so at the very least we should cover each other in prayer. Furthermore, covering our brothers and sisters in Christ doesn’t mean that we condone the sin in their lives. Covering them means we give them room to grow. Covering them means we give them room to be human. Covering them means we love them the way God intended. Covering them means we do not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth that Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn it. I mean, before we run and tell a friend, maybe we should run to the one who calls us friend.
Of course, I wish I could get on my invisible high horse and talk about Ham for mocking his father, but by now you’ve realized that I do not have room to talk about anyone. You see, I can’t tell you how many times in my life I’ve been like Ham. I’d stumble upon a situation when people were at their most vulnerable, and I couldn’t wait to share their circumstances with someone else. “Girl, let me tell you what I just saw…” Maybe some of you can relate. I don’t know. I don’t want to get in your business. I’m just saying… when I did that or do that -because I am not perfect,- I am operating within my flesh because the spirit doesn’t want anything to do with that. Our Father wants us to demonstrate our love in the same manner as Shem and Japheth in that moment. From what I read, they did not laugh or analyze why their father was in that state. They covered him, and they went as far as to walk backwards so they wouldn’t see him naked. All the while, some of us have the nerve to be giddy when we see someone out of character. It tickles us. (That’s my phrases, “That tickled me.”) I guess we should ask ourselves: How would we feel if we were in Noah’s position? Noah was a man after God’s own heart. Yet, he drank too much and his actions did not represent our Father well in that moment. Have you ever had a moment in your life when you didn’t represent the Father well? Have you ever had a moment when you needed grace and mercy, not just from the Father, but from your family and friends? If you have, you must ask yourself if you want to be mocked or covered? Just think about it. Then, go to the Father and pray about it.
#Soul Search with Our Father#
A Special Thank You
I would like to thank you for taking the time to log in every week or every month to listen to or read the blogs. You will continue to be in my prayers.
