He knew what God wanted Him to do...but he didn't want to do it. He convinced himself he'd be better off heading in a different direction. He didn't look back. It probably wasn't just a coincidence that he found the boat at the dock headed to Tarshish, right? Maybe Jonah had misunderstood God after all, and God's plan actually was for him to minister to the people of Tarshish. Yeah, that was it! But deep down, Jonah knew he was deceiving himself.
The storm caught the mariners off guard. The weather had been perfect for sailing, yet here they were in the worst storm they could remember. The angry waves tossed the boat about like a toy, and the wind howled its fury. They tried everything they knew to drive the boat out of the tempest - to no avail. It was high time for Jonah to do some explaining.
He owned up to his sin and admitted that he was running from the Lord. He didn't want to warn the people of Nineveh of God's pending judgment due to their wicked ways. What if they repented? The Ninevites were barbarians, after all! They didn't deserve God's mercy.
The mariners were at a loss. What were they to do? Jonah was insistent, "Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you," (Jonah 1:12; KJV). But the men continued trying to row the boat back to shore. It was no use. They finally agreed to throw Jonah overboard. Immediately the sea was calm, and faith was born in the hearts of the mariners. "Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the Lord, and made vows," (Jonah 1:16).
God's grace continued in the life of Jonah. The Lord prepared a whale to swallow him and gave him a second chance to preach a message of repentance to the people of Nineveh. This time, Jonah obeyed. He shared God's message, but was disgusted with the results...The Ninevites did the unthinkable. They repented! And God was true to His word; He spared their city.
Jonah was beyond disappointed. He was angry. In his mind, the people of Nineveh deserved to die for all the atrocities they had committed. Why had God allowed them to live? It didn't take God long to answer. He loved them. He wanted them to repent and turn to Him. He wanted them to point others to Him.
The story of Jonah is familiar. But the lesson of compassion contained within its pages is timeless. How often do I run from the job God has called me to do? His voice is pleading, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature," (Mark 16:15). Yet I'm convinced that the people He's put in my path don't want to hear. Or worse, that they don't deserve to hear His life-giving message.
Like the mariners, sometimes unbelievers around me show more compassion than I do. They do everything they can to help me, while I'm oblivious to their needs. God's Word reminds me, "For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth," (Psalms 86:5,15).
He's compassionate to all. My job is to deliver His message today, knowing that His Word will not return void.
Are you doing the job God's called you to do? What steps could you take today to be more compassionate?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the example of the life of Jonah. It's encouraging to know that You love me and give me second chances even when I mess up. Give me a heart of compassion for others and help me carry out the job you have for me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Amen, Maria! :) I think that sometimes we are running away and don't even know it. My prayer is that the Lord would give me an awareness of these things in my life, and help me to act.
ReplyDeletePTL for God's mercy and compassion. I need it daily. I've felt like I've been in the belly of the whale before. Not a fun place. :) Great devotion!
ReplyDeleteKaren - Great to see you! Thanks for your insight! It IS easy to get 'busy' doing other good things and lose sight of the fact that we are indeed running away. Hope your week is full of doing exactly what the Lord has for you! Hugs and God bless!
ReplyDeleteJessica - Always great to have you stop by! Belly of the whale, huh? Definitely doesn't conjure up pretty pictures. But I know the feeling. Obedience follows faith. Something I'm concentrating on today. Have a wonderful week, my friend! God bless you!
ReplyDeleteThis past couple of weeks has definitely felt like the belly of the whale for me. I have a feeling I'm missing something, but not sure what it is. I need to rest in the Lord awhile and heed His soft voice.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Maria. As always, thank you for sharing!
We talked about Jonah's attitude in Sunday school this past weekend. I think we tend to have a similar attitude at times, but thankfully God's gift of grace isn't for only a select few. Terrific post. :)
ReplyDeleteI believe that I am doing part of what God wants me to do: I truly love my job and i KNOW that is part of my purpose in life....still keeping my heart open to God's guidance
ReplyDeleteTouching post, Maria. I read a children's version of Jonah and the whale to my own children recently out of their children's bible. They enjoyed drawing pictures of the whale after. :-)
ReplyDeleteMost of us know what the right thing to do is but, often, side-step doing it because it's time-consuming or difficult or uncomfortable. Forgiving is a big one for many of us--we know we should do it because God tells us to. However, sometimes we don't forgive because we think, like Jonah, that those who have offended us don't deserve forgiveness. I heard during a sermon once that refusing to forgive someone who won't correct their transgressions against us is like holding a debt over the head of someone who has no money to pay it with. In my own life, I've spared myself some pain by accepting that you don't really forgive someone to let them off of the hook, but to start moving past your own hurt.
The topics of obedience, compassion and forgiveness are always timely. Thank you for discussing them in this post!
Ralene - Always great to have you stop by! Although I'm sorry to hear that you're experiencing a difficult time right now, it's so encouraging that you're actively waiting to hear from the Lord! Sometimes it's harder to 'be still' than be busy doing things, but I'm confident the Lord will show you what's missing. God bless you, my friend!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Thanks for stopping by! Appreciate your comment, "...thankfully God's gift of grace isn't for only a select few." Boy, I'm glad that's the truth! Now to implement that truth as I come into contact with others! Have a blessed week!
ReplyDeleteKC - Awesome to know that you're right where God wants you! It's encouraging to hear how He's using you in the workplace. Keep up the good work! Have a wonderful week, KC!
ReplyDeleteJanette - Always appreciate your comments! I think your assessment is accurate: "Most of us know what the right thing to do is but, often, side-step doing it because it's time-consuming or difficult or uncomfortable." I know that's true for me. Ran across a thought-provoking statement this morning that will probably become a future blog post. "Prayer is not an alternative to preparation, and faith is not a substitute for hard work." Must say at times I'm guilty of thinking prayer and faith are the only requirements to accomplish what God has asked me to do - but hard work is also part of the equation!
ReplyDeleteLove your insight on forgiveness. Especially the lesson you've learned - "you don't really forgive someone to let them off of the hook, but to start moving past your own hurt." Powerful stuff! Thanks for sharing! God bless you with a wonderful week! :)
Our Associate Pastor just preached on this passage this past Sunday. He was talking about how Jonah would have rather died than to have been obedient to God in this way. Later in the sermon he said, Jonah was probably like "GREAT! And now I have to to spend ETERNITY with these GUYS! Thanks A LOT God!" Made me laugh. :) Well done Maria. Will be coming back. Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteIt's always tempting to run away when called to do something we don't feel capable of doing, but important to remember that although we can't, God can. Thanks for sharing the good lessons in your inspiring post, Maria!
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