Sunday 8 Jul 2012

Sunday Reading: Jonah 1:1-7

Key Verse: Jonah 1:3
3  But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

Devotion:
After spending a few days listening to a college put her heart into the story of Jonah I thought that I would add my two cents worth – I wish I could give you a recording of her rendition of this lovable story but I’m afraid you have to put up with me instead. It takes a while and a few reads and a few studies of this wonderful book to get the most out of it and being able to get another new view always helps. So here is another side to it...

Jonah was a man who was actually vouched for by Christ Himself as we can ready in Matthew 12:40-41 where He reminded the disciples of the story of Jonah. Does that mean that Jonah was a man who always did everything correctly? Far from it; how else would we have the story of Jonah if he did not show us just how ‘normal’ he actually was. There is no way we can ever be like Christ is being able to always do everything correct and without sin because we are born into sin and we carry this sin nature around with us. Satan may not be standing by our sides like Adam and Eve had to face up to, but he certainly does have a way in which he entraps us through temptations beyond our strengths.

Jonah did not like the people of Nineveh; and that is about the biggest understatement I could ever come up with! Jonah knew what went on inside Nineveh much the same as many of us know what goes on inside other large cities. Come to think of it we are faced with some pretty strange happenings in small towns and villages as well because sin does not just hang out in the big cities! Sin is a global thing that man does against God, every town, every country, every place and trying to run away from it is not an option anymore!

Just like it was impossible for Jonah to run away from God, it is impossible for us to run away from Him. But it is also impossible to run away from our sin nature because it is part of us. But also, just like Jonah had the choice as to whether he would do what God had asked or whether to run and hide, we have that choice as to whether we want to do what God has commanded or run with sin and try and hide it away. Jonah was forced to stand and face up to what was required. God does not want to have to force us to stand up and face up to our sin, but there will come a time when we do have to face up to it – we need to choose whether than time is now or too late!

Points to Ponder:
Are you trying to run away and hide?

Are you listening to God’s calling?