Today's readings are Genesis 7.11-8.12 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Genesis+7.11-8.12 ) and Mark 3.20-35 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Mark+3.20-35 ).
In recent years there has been a craze of books under the series title Left Behind. But in Genesis 7-8 we read about God's original left behind people. Observe that when God has prepared everything needed to re-fill the earth with living creatures, he seals up the ark and brings rain and destruction on the earth. Seven people and numerous animals are left behind, while God takes and destroys all the rest in the flood. Yes, you read that right. Notice that God "takes" those whom he is destroying, while those who are "left" are preserved by his mighty hand.
This idea of taking and leaving, while we don't want to push it too far, says something of importance to us, aside from saying that the book series is built on a premise which is theologically backwards. When the Lord saves us, he leaves us to work in this world, preserving it, carrying on his work by loving our neighbors, and living in a real relationship with him. He leaves us with something to do. Those who have nothing to do, he eventually takes into judgment, while those who die in Christ he leaves in relationship with Christ, eternally. We don't want to treat this world and the tasks the Lord has put before us as trivial. He has left us with something to do, living for and serving him all our days. It's part of his divine preservation of us. Let's go serve Christ, since we've been left behind.
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