“What kind of world did I bring my son into,” asked one of my loved ones on 9/11/2001. His son had been born the day before. My older family members sometimes shake their heads and say, “I would hate to raise children today.”
Going back to Cain and Abel, I am not sure there has ever been a great time to raise children. Noah and his wife had three sons. Although his great grandfather had walked faithfully with God, Noah didn’t find any help from the world around him as he tried to raise godly sons. So he set himself apart as right and blameless and walked faithfully with God. So when God decided to bring judgment, he spoke with Noah and included him in his plan.
When I think about the general moral decline of our culture in my lifetime, I cringe. Sometimes I say to our kids, “It wasn’t always this way.” My grandparents would be shocked to hear the language and see what our world settles for and calls entertainment. As the Psalmist asked, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). In spite of all the challenges we face, this is still our Father’s world.
Salmon swim upstream. Just so, Noah points the way forward, by calling us back to our Maker. If we will walk with God faithfully, we will hear him when he speaks to us. Our world has changed, but God has not. He invites us to join him in his holiness, set apart for him alone. Dare to be different today. Walk with God in his word. Talk with him throughout the day. Live life consciously with God. Set the Lord always before you. Then, when he moves, we will know which way to follow.
