Morning Cariad ladies.
I've never done one of these posts before but when Becky asked I felt I should step up. Jonah seemed the most obvious choice to me. I could resonate with running away from what I knew God was asking me to do – I have most definitely been there and done that!
I started, as I'm sure we all do when preparing thoughts on a book of the Bible, by reading the story of Jonah again.
The first thing that struck me was that Jonah actually PAID to get away from the Lord's calling. He didn't just hide or do something else – he paid for a boat journey. He was certainly going to lengths to make sure he didn't do as God was asking him! This has never struck me before.
Scripture goes on to tell us that everyone else on the boat was terrified and prayed but Jonah was asleep. I don't know about you but if I am aware that I am choosing to ignore what the Lord is asking me to do, I certainly don't feel peaceful and may often struggle to sleep, but we are told that Jonah was sleeping deeply – what was he thinking and feeling at that point?
The captain appears to have noticed that no other 'Gods' had responded. We don't know at this point whether he knew Jonah followed the God of the scriptures, but he was clearly desperate enough to try anything.
After the lot had fallen to Jonah, Jonah admitted that he followed 'the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land'. I think, if I'm honest, that at this point I might have done a Peter and denied the Lord, for fear of retribution but Jonah told them he was running away from the Lord.
(He must have known that he could not run from the Lord, he had already told them that he worshipped the Lord who made the sea and the dry land so he surely knew that it was not possible to run or hide from him??)
He also knew what they needed to do to save the ship, he knew he needed to be accountable for his actions. We have to wonder here what the other fisherman knew of the Lord, they clearly did not want to abandon Jonah initially but came to see that they had no other choice, They also at this point seem to realise the might and the power of the God of Jonah as they pleaded with him not to hold them accountable for what they presumed would be his death.
They appear also to have realised who God was as at this point as they made vows and sacrifices to him and feared him.
We now see the whole nature of God – we see the God who caused a raging sea, strong enough to terrify men who would surely be used to the worst conditions of the sea, show his compassion and grace to Jonah, by providing a great whale to swallow him up, and redeem his life.
At last Jonah comes to his senses!! I really hope it never takes anything this drastic to bring me back to my senses when I am tempted to turn my back on the plans the Lord has for me. Jonah remembers who God is and what he has done for him. He throws himself on the gracious, compassionate, kind, merciful, loving and forgiving God he follows and asks for another chance.
I could stop there as that says it all. Despite our constant failings and sinful nature (despite the fact that we so regularly let the Lord down, don't listen to him and go our own way), we have a GRACIOUS, COMPASSIONATE, KIND, MERCIFUL, LOVING AND FORGIVING GOD who wants us to turn back to him and is there with his arms open wide, longing for our return.
As Jonah said, God has brought our lives up from the pit, Hallelujah!
But all this happened before Jonah even got to Ninevah!
Jonah obeyed the Lord (eventually!). He went to Ninevah, and he told the people of the coming wrath of the Lord. Amazingly, they responded and the God who had so recently been so compassionate and gracious to Jonah, was compassionate and gracious to them.
Hallelujah – happy endings all round right? Oh no!!
Now at this stage you could be forgiven for thinking that Jonah was in fact a hormonal woman. There is no pleasing this guy! He now pretty much throws his toys out of his pram!
"It's not fair Lord, why did I have to give you my time and my energy if you were going to forgive them all along?? Why did I (a sinner, saved only through your goodness, grace and compassion – undeserving to ever be in a relationship with you) have to do this one thing you asked of me, resulting in a whole city being saved and turning to you?"
Now let's be honest, aren't we often like Jonah… it's MY life, MY time, MY energy, MY plans…
How often do we complain about the inconvenience of serving the Lord? How often do we resent, in our hearts if not aloud, when we have to get up on a Sunday morning after a long week at work, when others are relaxing and having a lie in and maybe a nice brunch?
How often do we grumble when we have to go out on a weekday evening, having barely had time for food, to do youth work in the church, or visit that lonely old person, or give someone a lift that goes out of our way etc. etc.….
There may be many times when we do these things willingly, but I know there will be times when we don't!
I also know, without knowing you all personally, that you will have been blessed through making that effort and doing what the Lord has asked of you. And how amazing is that feeling??
And let us not forget who it is who is asking these things of us, who it is that we are serving…
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
The great I AM.
The Alpha and Omega.
The beginning and the end,
The creator of everything.
The eternal God and Father.
The Lion and the Lamb.
The almighty, all powerful, all seeing, all loving, ever caring, ever gracious, Abba Father, our daddy.
Who loves you despite who you are - not because of who you are.
Who gave his only son, to die the most horrific death because he didn't want to spend eternity without YOU! Who would still have done that if you were the only one! Because he loves you just that much!
So let us learn from Jonah…
Listen to what God is asking of you. Do what God is asking of you and be thankful that he chose to ask you! Think about it – the God of the universe wants YOU to work with him and for him.
How mind-blowing is that!!!!
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