OUR GOD ALWAYS GIVES A FRESH START

SCRIPTURE:

“Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth. 2 The fear and dread of you will fall on all the beasts of the earth, and on all the birds in the sky, on every creature that moves along the ground, and on all the fish in the sea; they are given into your hands. 3 Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. I now give you everything just like the green plants.” (Genesis 9:1—3)

OBSERVATION:

God is a God of new beginnings. The flood left everything devastated in its wake. It has been a long since Noah and his family weathered the flood and trusted God for a safe landing. Sometimes, circumstances flood, destroying our lives and taking away blessings. Plans and dreams for the New Year started to shift and change, and we lost our intentionality about our direction.

However, God’s plans for Noah and his family did not end in the flood they experienced. God gives Noah and his sons to start their journey afresh in a new land. God always begins with a BLESSING and expressing his plans for Noah and the family. Like Noah, we must not regret losing many things in the flood.

To understand God’s plans, I am reminded of how God works out his plans in Noah and his son’s lives.

• God started by BLESSING Noah and his sons. God’s intention always is to bless his people. He graced people’s lives with his goodness and kindness. God’s goodness and mercy follow his people every day of their lives. God’s blessing of his presence and provisions is evident in their journey.

• God speaks FRUITFULNESS AND INCREASE in number. The new beginning for Noah and his sons is to be fruitful and increase. How is this going to happen? They are going to work at it. Nothing is an entitlement. Everything God promises us except our salvation includes working and proactively and intentionally going after.

• God gave Noah and his sons STEWARDSHIP of his creation. Creation. They are to be the caretakers of all that surrounds them. God likewise gave us stewardship of his blessings to care for this year.

• God blessed Noah and his sons…EVERYTHING that they are responsible for taking care of it for themselves. God’s blessings are always cultivated on the grounds of faithfulness.

God did not hand Noah and his sons everything without them working and pursued after God’s plans and purpose for their new journey. God is a God of new beginnings. He lays out the foundation and plans for us, but we must go after it. He said to Noah and his sons…be fruitful and increase. God will bless them when they do what is fruitful and increasing. We must follow and do God’s plans as we start afresh this year.

APPLICATION:

I will commit to pursuing God’s plans and purpose this year. I want to rejoice and remember what he brought me through last year, but my focus is to be fruitful and increase in every new ground He lays before me. I choose to move in because he is already blessed. I want to steward well what God’s plan he laid out well before me this year. I don’t want to waste time pursuing things others want me to do. I want to follow Jesus’ will with the new start this year.

PRAYER:

Holy Spirit, please lead me to pursue God’s purpose and plans with new commitment and intentionality. I know I lack seeking what you intended for me from time to time. I ask that you help me be fruitful and increase in the Father’s plans. Help me to receive his blessings and to pursue him daily. Please help me to be a good steward of his gifts and opportunities. This year, lead and guide me to please the father with an obedient heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen!