In the Book of Jonah, we see that sometimes the man of God doesn't always follow the directions of God willingly.
Jonah was called by God to go to the sin-filled city of Nineveh. When he get there, he is to announce to the city that, due to their ongoing sins, they shall receive the wrath of God.
Jonah doesn't really want to go. Instead, he jumps on a boat and heads off in the opposite direction.
While underway, God sends a violent storm. The storm threatens to sink the ship. The sailors are tossing everything that isn't nailed down overboard. They instruct every person on the ship to pray to their "gods" for safety. Everybody is in full panic, praying to every god they know.
Except Jonah.
He's asleep below deck.
The crew cast lots, and determine that he is the reason for the storm. When they awaken him, and tell him of what has happened to this point, he acknowledges that he is the cause for the storms. He tells them to throw him overboard. They are reluctant to do so, but they do as he asks.
The storm calms.
Many that see what has just happened accept the fact that God Almighty, the God of Israel, is in fact the one and only true God. Many believe, and many make vows of dedication to Him.
God has a big fish swallow Jonah. Thereafter, for three days, Jonah is educated in the school of humble pie and obedience. Once Jonah has taken this instruction to heart, God has the fish vomit Jonah onto dry ground...not to far from Nineveh.
So, after all his efforts to resist the will of God, Jonah goes into Nineveh proclaiming that in forty days the city will be destroyed, unless the citizens repent of their sinful ways.
Believe it or not, they do!
From the lowest beggar to the king himself, everyone puts on the clothes of mourning. They begin, at the king's command, a time of prayer and fasting. They confess their sins to God, and beg for His forgiveness.
And God, being merciful and loving, forgives them!
And so, Jonah goes outside the city...
...and sulks.
"And he prayed unto the LORD, and said, I pray thee, O LORD, [was] not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou [art] a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for [it is] better for me to die than to live."
Jonah 4:2-3
Jonah 4:2-3
Jonah was NOT a happy camper! He had to dragged to Nineveh, kicking and screaming. He was all but forced to deliver a message of imminent destruction. After all this, he was ready for an old-fashioned rain of fire and brimstone on Nineveh. Yet, that was not to be. So, he just really wanted to die, to get away from it all.
So, there he was, sitting on the hills outside the city, throwing a pouting fit. He decided to build a booth shelter, and just sit and wait to see what happened next.
While Jonah was just sitting there, God caused a gourd plant (known for it's full, wide leaves and thick growth) to grow up and form a shade for Jonah. This is rather amazing, and obviously from God, since it normally takes months for a gourd plant to grow to any real size.
The gourd gave Jonah welcomed protection from the hot sun. However, overnight, God sent a worm to destroy the gourd. By the next mourning, it was dead and wilted away.
That day, the winds were strong and hot, and the sun beat down on Jonah mercilessly. Once again, he decides it would be better if he could just die.
So God asked Jonah, do you think it's a good thing to be this angry? Jonah answered that he did. In fact, he told God that he felt it was just fine to be upset, even to the point of wishing he was dead.
God decided it was time to put things into perspective.
So, there he was, sitting on the hills outside the city, throwing a pouting fit. He decided to build a booth shelter, and just sit and wait to see what happened next.
While Jonah was just sitting there, God caused a gourd plant (known for it's full, wide leaves and thick growth) to grow up and form a shade for Jonah. This is rather amazing, and obviously from God, since it normally takes months for a gourd plant to grow to any real size.
The gourd gave Jonah welcomed protection from the hot sun. However, overnight, God sent a worm to destroy the gourd. By the next mourning, it was dead and wilted away.
That day, the winds were strong and hot, and the sun beat down on Jonah mercilessly. Once again, he decides it would be better if he could just die.
So God asked Jonah, do you think it's a good thing to be this angry? Jonah answered that he did. In fact, he told God that he felt it was just fine to be upset, even to the point of wishing he was dead.
God decided it was time to put things into perspective.
"Then said the LORD, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and [also] much cattle?"
Jonah 4:10-11
Jonah 4:10-11
Here was Jonah, getting all bent out of shape because of a little thing like a plant dying. God explained that, if he could be upset about a plant, wasn't it just and proper of God to be concerned, and to take steps to give a second chance to the 80,000 babies? And, what about all the livestock that would have been destroyed just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time?
We need to keep a simple fact in mind: God's will is perfect. There is nothing that has, is or will be happening that is not under direct control of God Almighty. When Jesus died on the cross, it was part of His plan. He knew each and every single one of us before the world was created. He knows what we go through. He allows trials and tests in our lives, not to torment us. No, He allows these things in order to perfect us. Each trial teaches us to rely on Him more. Each test perfects the faith that is in us, just like the refining fire purifies the metal of imperfect substances.
There will be times when each of us may well be tempted to cry out to God, "Just let me die!"
During these times, just remember that your brothers and sisters in Christ are going through similiar trials. God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ love us, and are awaiting us at the end with arms open wide and with eternal love for their family members.
Grace and Peace....
We need to keep a simple fact in mind: God's will is perfect. There is nothing that has, is or will be happening that is not under direct control of God Almighty. When Jesus died on the cross, it was part of His plan. He knew each and every single one of us before the world was created. He knows what we go through. He allows trials and tests in our lives, not to torment us. No, He allows these things in order to perfect us. Each trial teaches us to rely on Him more. Each test perfects the faith that is in us, just like the refining fire purifies the metal of imperfect substances.
There will be times when each of us may well be tempted to cry out to God, "Just let me die!"
During these times, just remember that your brothers and sisters in Christ are going through similiar trials. God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ love us, and are awaiting us at the end with arms open wide and with eternal love for their family members.
Grace and Peace....
