The Jonah mission

These days I am a bit terrified to do bible reading with Joanna. The words seem to come right off the page and deal with me.

Recently, we did the story of Jonah. God asked Jonah to tell the People of Nineveh that he was going to punish them for their great wickedness. Jonah thought to himself of all the better things he could do ! He boarded a ship to Tarshish and promptly went to sleep in the belly of the ship. In case you didn't know, Tarshish lies in the diametrically opposite direction of Nineveh. God sends a storm, the sailors cast lots and Jonah is cornered. He accepts responsibility. A big fish swallows Jonah (whole) and he remains in its Belly for 3 days. Finally, the fish vomits Jonah onto Nineveh's shores. The bible records only a one liner sermon that Jonah preached,'Nineveh will be overthrown in 40days'. Yet, I don't know of a more effective sermon! The whole city felt convicted. Man and beast fasted and repented, right from the throne room to the stable. God relents, forgives and spares them. Jonah is upset that God forgave the Ninevehites.

Here comes me now -

Jonah expected God to act in a particular manner and is upset when he doesn't !
--- That's me alright ! Too often I think the controls of life lie in my hand ! I have been in Jonah's shoes more often than Jonah himself ! I am forever guilty of trying to tell God what to do and how to do it, when to act and even how to react !

Jonah thought he could ignore what God was asking him to do.
--- I do this when God asks me to do something that I don't want to do. Especially if that means to forgive someone whom, I feel doesn't deserve it. I pretend I didn't hear him and walk off in the opposite direction. As with Jonah, my story too doesn't end there. I get swallowed by a whale of separation from God. After a few days in the acid of my feelings and the stench of my attitude, 'i' am able to appreciate God's viewpoint far more than otherwise !

Jonah could not forgive the wickedness of the Ninevehites.Jonah wanted judgement not mercy.
--- Talk about forgiving the 'Wickedness' of today's world !  Reminds me of when I think I own the copyright to Gods love and compassion. Its like a sermon I often give the world (in my mind of course) "Hey people GOD is WATCHING you !!" while I sing to myself " For the Father up above watches me with love"!I heard recently, "You can't stand under the cross and point fingers at someone else".Here was Jonah deserving punishment for disobeying God and yet he was crying down hell fire on Nineveh. Sin is sin whether big or small.

God was working on Jonah while Jonah worked for God !
--- Phew ! that was inspiration! While we go about doing what God wants us to do, God works behind the scenes weeding out the garden of our life(our thoughts and attitudes). God sees the anger, bitterness, unforgiveness and everything else that is seething beneath our cool exteriors. He doesn't call us to live for him because we are perfect, rather he perfects us in his love. This is especially hard for the perfectionist portions in me.

If you are out there, waiting and wondering how God could ever use someone as imperfect as Jonah or yourself to accomplish his plans and purposes, give yourself a hug right now! He is God. He loves you far more than you can imagine ! As you obey him, his love will perfect you.