March 14
Running from Ninevah
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh!” … But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction….
Jonah 1:1-3 (NLT)
Jonah was a prophet of God. This meant God had a very special purpose for Jonah, and it included going to the heathen nation of Assyria. These were vile and brutal people, but God knew their need and He saw their possibilities. He also knew Jonah was the man for the mission. Jonah could do this. God had designed him for it.
But Jonah rebelled. The Assyrians were terrible people and Jonah would have no part of it. God thought different, and He had an incredible way of getting Jonah back on track. If you are unfamiliar with the book of Jonah, it’s worth reading. Jonah had quite an adventure and we learn some good lessons. One lesson is this: There is no advantage in resisting God, for in the end, God always wins, and when we do it God's way, we win too!.
Even though life seems hard at times, or we don't understand, or even if our task seems impossible, God understands it all. He has designed us for His special purposes just as He did Jonah. Believe it or not, God calls us to situations critical to Him and when necessary, He finds ways to motivate us. This is important for me to remember. So, I’ll start by asking myself, Where is God calling me? And which of His challenges am I resisting? He's probably not asking me to walk 500 miles to preach to a foreign nation, but what about stepping across the street to talk with a neighbor, or driving across town to visit the shut-in who needs some cheering up, or maybe it's something all together different. But if I pay attention, I'll hear His call. It’s beginning to sink in: the only way I win is by listening to Him, by being His ambassador, and by doing His will.
How about you? What’s your Nineveh? What new challenge does God want you to take on? As you reflect, remember this: God always provides for those who follow His plan. He provides us with every resource we need ... and something else ... He gives us His joy!
Lord, give me the ear, the heart to follow Your commands. Take joy in me. Amen.
Running from Ninevah
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh!” … But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction….
Jonah 1:1-3 (NLT)
Jonah was a prophet of God. This meant God had a very special purpose for Jonah, and it included going to the heathen nation of Assyria. These were vile and brutal people, but God knew their need and He saw their possibilities. He also knew Jonah was the man for the mission. Jonah could do this. God had designed him for it.
But Jonah rebelled. The Assyrians were terrible people and Jonah would have no part of it. God thought different, and He had an incredible way of getting Jonah back on track. If you are unfamiliar with the book of Jonah, it’s worth reading. Jonah had quite an adventure and we learn some good lessons. One lesson is this: There is no advantage in resisting God, for in the end, God always wins, and when we do it God's way, we win too!.
Even though life seems hard at times, or we don't understand, or even if our task seems impossible, God understands it all. He has designed us for His special purposes just as He did Jonah. Believe it or not, God calls us to situations critical to Him and when necessary, He finds ways to motivate us. This is important for me to remember. So, I’ll start by asking myself, Where is God calling me? And which of His challenges am I resisting? He's probably not asking me to walk 500 miles to preach to a foreign nation, but what about stepping across the street to talk with a neighbor, or driving across town to visit the shut-in who needs some cheering up, or maybe it's something all together different. But if I pay attention, I'll hear His call. It’s beginning to sink in: the only way I win is by listening to Him, by being His ambassador, and by doing His will.
How about you? What’s your Nineveh? What new challenge does God want you to take on? As you reflect, remember this: God always provides for those who follow His plan. He provides us with every resource we need ... and something else ... He gives us His joy!
Lord, give me the ear, the heart to follow Your commands. Take joy in me. Amen.
posted by Craig Soderquist at 10:23 PM
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