“He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our LORD! He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant.” — Psalms 111:4-5 NLT
After the flood, Noah and his family were to embark on experiencing a fresh start in life. The flood account in Genesis Chapters 6–8 provides several principles that are instructive on how we can experience a fresh, new beginning. One of those principles is: cling to what produces and sustains your life.
In Genesis 6:18-21, Noah is informed who and what to take with him into the ark: his family, two of every kind of fleshly creature, and every kind of food to have enough to feed and keep his family and all the creatures alive during their long time on the ark.
It’s truly important for us to have family around us for the support, love and encouragement needed throughout our lives. It goes without saying that food is necessary for us to live. Yet, Jesus informs us in Matthew 4:4 that there is something greater for our life and sustenance: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”
What God actually offered Noah was his sustaining force more than his family, more than any fondness with animals and more than any good food. After outlining the news of impending judgement, God tells Noah, “but with you will I establish my covenant; and you shall come into the ark.” Noah took this promise with him into the ark, which undoubtedly sustained him through the unknown journey during the flood until the ark came to its resting place (Gen. 8:4).
Interestingly, God did not divulge any aspects of the covenant to Noah. All Noah had from God when entering the ark was an “I will,” without saying what the “I will” was to be. Also, Scripture gives no indication that God communicated anything with Noah during the entire time they were on the ark, which was minimally one year. It’s not until after Noah exits the ark that God explains the particulars of the covenant promised (Gen. 8:21-22; 9:9-17).
We read in Genesis 8:1, “and God remembered Noah, every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark; God made a wind to pass over the earth and the waters receded.” It would be to our detriment if God was prone to dementia.
The reason God remembered Noah was because of his promise of making a covenant with Noah. The important thing again is not that we know what God is going to do; rather, just being assured in him because he simply says “I will” establish a covenant with you.
The comforting thing is that God always remembers his covenant with his people. Psalm 105:8 states, “He remembers his covenant forever, the word that he commanded to a thousand generations.”
Every time we see a rainbow in the sky, we ought to kick, scream and holla, for it’s the sign that God remembers us, because of his covenant made with Noah. God told Noah, “When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth” (Gen. 9:16 NLT).
That’s why we can get excited about the covenant of God through the blood of Jesus Christ, by which God says he won’t remember our sins and iniquities no more (Heb. 8:12-13). The greatest thing we are to cling to is the covenant God has with us. It’s God’s covenant that produces life and sustains us.
Rev. Johnson A. Beaven III is senior pastor of Citadel of Faith Church of God in Christ. Contact him via email at jabeaven@gmail.com or via Twitter @jbeaven. For more information, visit www.CitadelCOGIC.com.
