Good Morning all. As I read Cherlyne cares this morning I was struck by the story of Jonah. So I went and re-read the story to make sure I wasn’t missing something.
We all know the story of Jonah in the belly of the fish. Jonah was told to go to Nineveh. He was told to tell these people that in forty days God will destroy the city. Jonah felt why I should bother. These people are evil and unrepentant and God is merciful. So he was conflicted. First he wanted them to pay for what they had done and were continuing to do. We may also feel that way when we think of our prodigal spouses or children or even people that have harmed us. Our hearts are harden just like Jonah. So we try to run from what God is telling us to do. Why shouldn’t they pay for what they did to me and why oh why should I be the person to have to tell them better? We feel it isn’t fair what God is telling us to do. Forgive them? Show them God’s Mercy? Warn them about God’s wrath and preach to them about God undying love and mercy? Why me Lord?
These are the thing that we feel sometimes. So like Jonah we run. We say no not this time? I am tired I know who you are, God, and these people deserve it and I don’t want to waste my time on them. Especially if it is the OW/OM that god is asking for us to pray for. So we go off to do our own thing. We feel safe because we know God so we can sleep through our storms because we know who our God is just like Jonah. He slept through the storm that was about destroy the ship. This ship was tossing and turning but he slept. We sometimes do the same thing during the storms of our life and wonder why the storm won’t ease up. Just being happy and content, is a way to acknowledge God yes; but what happens when we get back on track to God’s will and plan for our lives?
Well everyone on this ship worshipped a different god than our Lord and Savior. They prayed to their gods and the pleaded with their gods to save them to no avail. Then Jonah was awaken and they asked him who he was, who was his god etc. He told them and he admitted that it was his fault. How many times are we ready to admit that it is out fault for the situations we are in? He told them what to do but they didn’t want to anger Jonah’s God any further so they started praying to the Lord God. Amazing!!!! Even though Jonah had disobeyed God and tried to do his own thing God not only saved Jonah but converted a whole ship of people. Amazing. I am not advocating for you to disobey God but remember that you cannot escape God. David says it best when he says in Psalms 139: 7-10
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
There is nowhere we can run from God. I always missed out on this part of the story of Jonah. So even when we detour we turn people to the Lord when he is in us. Either by showing them what we should do or should not do.
Then Jonah does what he was meant to do in the beginning. He spreads the word and the people repent. Al lot of us are getting mad because just like Jonah we feel that the people we are supposed to be showing God’s love are not getting what they deserve, in our opinion, but are repenting. Isn’t that what our whole stand is about? Are we not standing so that we can bring glory to God and not ourselves and not our marriage restoration? The whole purpose is to bring God glory. We all know Psalms 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heartâ€. But how can we delight ourselves in the Lord if we are not following his example and praying in earnest for those that have wronged us or hurt us. God put the desire in your heart to stand for your marriage. You know that goes against the world’s view and definitely Satan’s view of what we should be doing. So only God put that desire in your heart.
So let us get filled up with God’s love and fogginess and take the word to others by action, not by beating them over the head with the bible. God will tell you how to show His love and kindness to people. He will guide us. Don’t beat yourself up if you decide to detour because even on that detour, just like Jonah, God will use it to win souls and get you back on course.
Sorry for going on but I hope I explained this correctly and it helps someone. Today that is battling with wanting to give up or are on a detour course. We all have them and God will get us back on track. Amen
We all know the story of Jonah in the belly of the fish. Jonah was told to go to Nineveh. He was told to tell these people that in forty days God will destroy the city. Jonah felt why I should bother. These people are evil and unrepentant and God is merciful. So he was conflicted. First he wanted them to pay for what they had done and were continuing to do. We may also feel that way when we think of our prodigal spouses or children or even people that have harmed us. Our hearts are harden just like Jonah. So we try to run from what God is telling us to do. Why shouldn’t they pay for what they did to me and why oh why should I be the person to have to tell them better? We feel it isn’t fair what God is telling us to do. Forgive them? Show them God’s Mercy? Warn them about God’s wrath and preach to them about God undying love and mercy? Why me Lord?
These are the thing that we feel sometimes. So like Jonah we run. We say no not this time? I am tired I know who you are, God, and these people deserve it and I don’t want to waste my time on them. Especially if it is the OW/OM that god is asking for us to pray for. So we go off to do our own thing. We feel safe because we know God so we can sleep through our storms because we know who our God is just like Jonah. He slept through the storm that was about destroy the ship. This ship was tossing and turning but he slept. We sometimes do the same thing during the storms of our life and wonder why the storm won’t ease up. Just being happy and content, is a way to acknowledge God yes; but what happens when we get back on track to God’s will and plan for our lives?
Well everyone on this ship worshipped a different god than our Lord and Savior. They prayed to their gods and the pleaded with their gods to save them to no avail. Then Jonah was awaken and they asked him who he was, who was his god etc. He told them and he admitted that it was his fault. How many times are we ready to admit that it is out fault for the situations we are in? He told them what to do but they didn’t want to anger Jonah’s God any further so they started praying to the Lord God. Amazing!!!! Even though Jonah had disobeyed God and tried to do his own thing God not only saved Jonah but converted a whole ship of people. Amazing. I am not advocating for you to disobey God but remember that you cannot escape God. David says it best when he says in Psalms 139: 7-10
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
There is nowhere we can run from God. I always missed out on this part of the story of Jonah. So even when we detour we turn people to the Lord when he is in us. Either by showing them what we should do or should not do.
Then Jonah does what he was meant to do in the beginning. He spreads the word and the people repent. Al lot of us are getting mad because just like Jonah we feel that the people we are supposed to be showing God’s love are not getting what they deserve, in our opinion, but are repenting. Isn’t that what our whole stand is about? Are we not standing so that we can bring glory to God and not ourselves and not our marriage restoration? The whole purpose is to bring God glory. We all know Psalms 37:4 “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heartâ€. But how can we delight ourselves in the Lord if we are not following his example and praying in earnest for those that have wronged us or hurt us. God put the desire in your heart to stand for your marriage. You know that goes against the world’s view and definitely Satan’s view of what we should be doing. So only God put that desire in your heart.
So let us get filled up with God’s love and fogginess and take the word to others by action, not by beating them over the head with the bible. God will tell you how to show His love and kindness to people. He will guide us. Don’t beat yourself up if you decide to detour because even on that detour, just like Jonah, God will use it to win souls and get you back on course.
Sorry for going on but I hope I explained this correctly and it helps someone. Today that is battling with wanting to give up or are on a detour course. We all have them and God will get us back on track. Amen
