Genesis 6:5

Genesis 6:5 says, “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.”

This verse talks about the breadth and depth of sin. God looked at the sinfulness of man and saw that sin covered the earth. Its breadth is great. Note the depth of sin. It’s not merely that our hearts are evil. It’s not merely that our thoughts are evil. It’s that “every intent” of our thoughts is evil. It’s not that our thoughts are partly good. It’s that our thoughts are “only evil.” It’s not that our thoughts are evil some of the time. It’s that our thoughts are “evil” continually. … Such is the depth of our sin.

It’s no wonder that “the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in his heart” (Genesis 6:6).  It comes with utter amazement, then, that God would come and save any of us. John Newton described it well, …

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me.

 

It is well with my soul

November 22 will come and go in your life, but for Horatio Spafford, the day was forever fixed in his mind as a day of tragedy.  On November 22nd, 1873, the steamship Ville du Havre was headed for Europe, when it collided with a sailing vessel and was lost at sea, along with 226 people, among whom were four of Spafford’s daughters.   Spafford quickly boarded the next ship for Europe to meet his wife, who had survived the accident at sea (along with 87 others).  When told by the captain that they were over the spot where the Ville du Havre had sunk, he wrote these words, …

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.