The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Genesis 6:5-8, “Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the
earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
6 The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in
His heart.
7 The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land,
from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I
have made them.”
8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

One of the most difficult things in life is to say, “I am sorry.” Yet, knowing that the first
use of the worry “sorry” came from our LORD Himself makes saying it no less difficult.

Yes, the LORD made man to dwell on the earth. But, when the LORD saw that the
“wickedness of man was great,” He was sorry that He had made created him at all.

Sorrow often emerges from things we don’t like in others (“She/he’s a sorry mess…”).
Yet, to be fully truthful, sorrow hits us in the face like a steel pipe when we do or say
something that hurts others. And those are sometime things of which we have no
knowledge until they are said or done.

Notice closely the Scripture passage above. The LORD first said He would blot out
man (vs. 6); then He vowed to blot out all created creatures (vs. 7). Yet, in the end,
“Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.”

Are we here to believe that man’s conduct was the cause of the LORD’s displeasure?
Yes, but ultimately, “Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” I view this as saying
that we should never give up seeking forgiveness for things we’ve done in haste –things
that lead to disfavor in the mind and heart of our LORD Jesus Christ.

Our motive should always be: “Think clearly first”; then, don’t say or do it –whatever it is!
I once heard a man say, “I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.” Someone nearby
heard him and replied, “Are you sure you’ve got enough of it to share?”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need
until He becomes all that we have.”
– Corrie ten Boom