I love it when women I’ve mentored in the past are thinking deeply and engaging with God’s Word.
One texted to ask,
“I’m reading a book on obedience , it references, Genesis Six . How can the Lord have regret?”
My reply:
“God is a person, with emotions…. Our capacity for emotional responses is part of His image in us. God can know that something is going to happen and yet, even when it actually plays out in a worst case scenario of yielding to evil and painful consequences result to many people, God knows that He has to impose discipline or set boundaries against people He loves but with whom He cannot fellowship because of their evil. He can regret having given mankind the freewill to make foolish choices and regret our inability or unwillingness to know, love, honor, and obey Him.
However, in spite of the rampant wickedness of humankind that brought Him to think it was necessary to wipe out evil humanity, in His goal to follow through with the redemptive work He knew He would have to do again and again, He did see one man who was honorable…Noah. And He set about giving humanity another opportunity to live into His heart’s desire for them. God can love mankind steadfastly and still regret that our poor choices in exercising the gift of freewill demand that He discipline us, even to the point of widespread destruction to restrain evil and give a stump of righteousness a chance for a new fresh start.
He is a God of justice and mercy and sometimes justice is necessary, even when it breaks His heart.”
(…….. like any Good Parent training His Children in righteousness). CBB 10/14/2024