Reflections

Philippians 3:17 (HCSB)

  Join in imitating me, brothers, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us.

While reading Genesis, I came to a seemingly random passage. Genesis 9:18-28 seems to have little obvious purpose. In this unit of scripture we find Noah, and his three sons. As the story goes, Noah drinks so much wine he becomes pass-out-naked-drunk. His sons react different. Ham, excuses himself from the scene, and gives all responsibility to Shem and Japheth. Between Shem an Japheth they manage to  conceal their father's nakedness. Which brings the real confusing part. Upon waking, Noah responds to his covering by cursing Ham's family (see Genesis 9:25). Noah further continues to state God's great future blessing for Shem and his family (see Genesis 9:26-27).  It took a little silent-reflection time and further random scripture reading before a bigger theme became evident. Often I find scripture isn't encrypted, but it's a matter of letting the scripture speak.  Later on in Genesis, ( see 11:10-31) we can find Shem's line leads to Abram. Now, it's easy to want to brush over these lineages found in the Bible. They can be long and dry. It's not fun reading name, after name, after name. However, a greater point can become evident. Shem's line leads to Abram; Abram line leads to David; David's line leads to Mary and Joseph, and to our Lord and Savior. Light Bulb! In Noah's tent, at that drunken moment, when Shem covers his father's drunkenness--at this moment of conduct our God sees the conduct he wants to leave as a heritage. Our God is in the Covering business. Except he doesn't cover nakedness with a cloak, he covers our sins with his blood. I think Rodney Atkins expresses this father son relationship very adequately in his song watching you:

Rodney Atkins - Watching You

He said, "I’ve been watching you, dad ain’t that cool?

I’m your buckaroo, I wanna be like you.

And eat all my food and grow as tall as you are.

....

I want to do everything you do.

So I’ve been watching you."

It is a simple observable truth--we learn by observation. Our savior is so great he doesn't want to leave any lose ends either. He doesn't want us to observe and live after the ways of Ham--a person that saw a problem and turned away.  Our God wants us to follow Jesus' future example, an example I believe he saw his great-great-great(etc) grand-father Shem display in a simple act of kindness and covering. This has the touch of divine planning. As Paul states in Philippians 3:17, we are to participate in this story as imitators. Paul even goes on to say we should observe and imitate:

Philippians 4:8 (HCSB)

  Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things