Why are you spending time and energy trying to impress that neighbor/colleague/naysayer? Prove to that person that spoke ill of you/walked away/abandoned you in your season of ‘lack’ that you really are okay. The amazing/FAR BEYOND AMAZING fact is that you are/were Creared by The same Essence that Created ALL that is by The Word of His Mouth! You havea reason/purpose! Trials come and are Allowed to help you grow and mature! This brings up a fact in His-Story: Noah among ALL Men on Earth was found to be different. The same way that he responded to that ‘Voice’ within! He built an Ark and he and his family were saved.

More notably, the share for today is that Noah was still learning life. After the flood abated. Noah farmed and planted grapes; made wine and drank a bit too much and intoxicated fell into a deep sleep…

According to Genesis 9:20–21, at some point after the flood, Noah planted a vineyard, produced wine, and became drunk. Not only did he become drunk, but he was naked inside his tent. What followed was the sin of Ham (and possibly Canaan). This is an uncomfortable episode in Noah’s life, but it serves as a reminder that even those saved by the grace of God are prone to sin (Genesis 8:21). It’s also a powerful warning about how just one careless decision can destroy the reputation of even the most godly man or woman. That’s especially true when it comes to drinking. Although the Bible says that wine is good for cheer (Psalm 104:15), it also warns that it can be dangerous, especially for those in positions of authority (Proverbs 31:4).

What the Bible doesn’t specify is “why” Noah became drunk. There are several possibilities, although none of them change the responsibilities of the people involved. Noah was responsible for his own actions, as were his sons. This includes Ham, who seems to have reacted with ridicule instead of compassion toward his inebriated father (Genesis 9:22).

One possibility is that Noah was haunted by his experiences during the flood and chose to over-consume wine and get drunk in order to ease his pain. Attempting to avoid negative feelings is one of the major reasons people abuse alcohol today. The strain of trying to rebuild a shattered world, on top of the horrific loss of human life, would doubtless have been a heavy burden to bear.

Another potential answer is that Noah’s drunkenness was inadvertent and caused by old age. That is, Noah might have become drunk accidentally. After the flood, mankind began aging much more rapidly. It’s possible that Noah was feeling his age more than he knew and wasn’t able to hold as much wine as he once did. This is a key danger of alcohol—it takes judgment to know when to stop, but good judgment is exactly what alcohol tends to erode.

Another option is that Noah became drunk because he wasn’t experienced with large quantities of alcohol. Grapes existed before the flood, so man would have had the ability to press grapes before Noah entered the ark. But, according to the Bible, Noah was the first to plant a vineyard (Genesis 9:20). Common sense suggests that a cultivated vineyard will produce significantly more fruit, juice, and wine than wild vines. Noah may well have had access to more wine than he’d ever had before. Possibly, he carelessly consumed more than he had in the past, resulting in his drunken state.

Ultimately, we can’t say for sure exactly why Noah became drunk. Scripture often leaves out details that are ultimately irrelevant to our relationship to God. The exact sequence of events leading to Noah’s stumble isn’t given in the Scriptures. What we do see is enough for us to understand the history of Noah’s sons and to be warned about the power of what we put into our bodies.

ALL is Known before it comes to be in the physical. Daniel 5:23 says that God gives us the breath of life and controls our destiny. We ought to find this truth hugely freeing. And we ought to find it highly motivating to ensure that we give God the honor His Essence is due because of Who/What God is. God is trustworthy, faithful, Loving, All-Wise, All-powerful, holy, and Sovereign.

Prove to that naysayers that you are blessed. You don’t have anything to prove. They don’t control your destiny. They can’t stop what God has purposed for your life. Get your eyes off of people, off of your faults, and off of how you think you don’t measure up. You are approved, you are accepted, you are anointed. Now step into your destiny.

Who Controls Your Destiny?

God commands my destiny and nothing can thwart His purposes as I consistently seek to give Him first place in my life.

How about you? Are you carrying the weight of trying to secure your future? If so, how’s that working for you? Daniel 5:23 says that God gives us the breath of life and controls our destiny. We ought to find this truth hugely freeing. And we ought to find it highly motivating to ensure that we give God the honor He’s due because of Who He is. He’s trustworthy, faithful, Loving, all-wise, all-powerful, holy, and sovereign God. He is God over all gods. He has no equal.

This is the God Whom we serve. When we are in right relationship with Him, we need not be afraid or behave as though our future depends on our smarts and skills. We can cease striving and rest because God has got our back, Amen.

So…how can we honor The God Who gives us the breath of life and controls our destiny?

• By daily expressing thanks to Him for the gift of life and for being aware of and in control of every detail concerning us. God sees the tiniest sparrow fall, and we matter more to Him than the birds of the air.
• By daily surrendering ourselves to Him for His highest purpose. We might think we have our day and agenda set, but He might have a different idea. Let’s let God do what He wants knowing His purposes are always higher than ours.
• By daily inviting Him to fill us. If we try doing life in our own strength, we’re bound to fail. We’ll dishonor God by thinking inappropriate thoughts, saying hurtful words, harboring wrong attitudes. You get the picture. Living a life that honors God is vital, but it’s possible only through His empowerment.

God gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny. May this truth encourage you today, my friend. No matter what you face, God’s bigger, and He’s got your back.