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Noah: A "New Adam" Starting again is difficult, especially when the outcome of such a "restart" is uncertain. Noah certainly would have felt a level of uncertainty about the effects of the flood on the land. How would they get food now? Where had they landed in relation to where they had started floating? What would life look like now that they weren't living in an enclosed space anymore? We could go on and on about the uncertainty Noah and his family faced as they exited the ark! God gave Noah a command to be fruitful and multiply. (This is the same command he gave Adam and Eve.) This reset of the world was a new opportunity to do things God's way. Yet, once again, people lived by what was "right in their own eyes." When Ham looked upon and gossiped about his father's nakedness, Noah cursed Canaan, Ham's youngest son. This instance is the first time we hear Noah speak in Scripture. Sadly, it is a curse. The controversy with Ham tainted Noah and his sons' opportunity for a sinless restart. How often do you start something and have fresh eyes, only to be taken down a notch or two by an emergency, a wrong choice, or a mistake you regret? Today's passage reminds us that human experience has been similar throughout history. We are all prone to make human mistakes. Joy comes when we remember that we have new life in Jesus. The curses spoken throughout human existence have no hold on you because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross. He offers you a new start every morning because He is healing all your wrongs. Our job is to lean into Him and permit Him to work where we cannot! What a joy to be renewed in Him! Question: Is God inviting you to start fresh in your relationship with Him or someone else? Does He want to teach you new ways of relating to your spouse, family, and friends or a new way to run your business or be involved in your community? One thing is sure: God is inviting you into new places. Will you say yes? Prayer: Courage is required when following Jesus and accessed only when we step into the place where it is needed. Humble yourself and ask for the courage you need to take the next step in your walk with Him.