God was sorry

And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. – Genesis 6v6

These are pretty solemn words. The Lord was sorry that He had made man, and He was grieved in His heart. There is an awesome sadness in reading that man, the pinnacle of creation cause sorrow and grief to his Creator.

What was the cause of this grief? The answer is pretty simple actually. It is in the previous verse. Man’s wickedness was great and he only thought of evil. One thing grieves God. That one thing is man’s sin.

I suspect that that the use of the word ‘sorry’ here is not so much that God regretted what He had done, but that He had sorrow in His heart. I suspect this because that goes so well with the idea of grieving and I can’t get my head around the idea that God could regret something that He did since He is all-wise and all-knowing.

I can take one thing away from this. Sin grieves God. No matter what the excuse, reason, or circumstance sin grieves Him. In the New Testament Christians are warned not to grieve the Holy Spirit.

I can understand the sin of the world of Noah’s day much easier than I can understand my own sin. I know God. I know what my salvation cost. I know that my sin cost Jesus Christ His life.

The fact that sin breaks God’s heart should be enough to keep me from choosing sin, but far too often it is not. The next time we are in a position to choose sin or right, may we each remember what our sin does to Him.