Noah's story ... re-learned

Tonight I read a post on my former youth pastor's blog that prompted a response. So I left a comment, a rather long comment. In the comment I described how some new light being shed on an "old and familiar" story, like the story of Noah, has helped me understand even more the character of God.
Here are the words from my "comment."

I have recently re-learned some of the story of Noah and it has helped me focus more on the act(s) of God in the story rather than on those of Noah. I think the statement "All Genesis tells us is that Noah was a righteous man" is not completely correct. If we begin reading the story where most Bibles put a sub-heading (verse 9) then we are led to this conclusion but if instead we begin the story of Noah back at verse 5 we will come to see something said of Noah that makes a significant impact on the telling of his tale. When we do begin reading at verse 5 we see that God is grieved at the condition of ALL of mankind (that all would include Mr. Noah) and thus considers blotting the earth clean of them as he says in verse 7. But then comes the all important verse 8: "But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord." I missed these all important 10 words for at least a decade, and seeing them has changed the story for me. Many translations use the word Grace instead of favor which is probably better for most of us to understand that this was an unmerited, ill-deserved act of God upon Noah's life to make him righteous, not by his works but "by grace...through faith" as Paul explains it in Ephesians 2.

So Noah is not picked by God because he's the only righteous one left, as though he's cleaned up his act enough to get God's attention. Rather, Noah is wicked like the rest and God looks upon him with favor, or better said, GIVES MUCH GRACE and in response Noah's life is different and he obeys the Lord.

I'm telling you, this has messed up my life! Jesus has given me grace, I have found favor in the eyes of God Almighty and my life is lived out of response to this. Talk about taking my worship deeper than I ever thought possible! Thanks be to God.

Now, I am not attempting to right my former youth pastor with these words but rather wanted to share with you the glorious riches that I continue to discover in the loving words of my great God and Savior even in "old" and "comfortable" stories like that of Noah. I think the most amazing part about Noah's life is that his righteousness came from God, just like Abraham, Moses, David and so many millions of others after him...he got to be part of the redemption of men by the Grace of God through Faith in the one who had called him, just like you and me.