have you ever read jonah 4?
1 Comments Published by Steven Anderson on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 6:37 AM.
Well do it now: Jonah 4
I think most of us know the story. God sends Jonah to Nineveh to tell them to repent. Jonah refuses to go because he doesn't like the people in Nineveh. Jonah was swallowed by a fish, repented, then he fulfilled his mission and the Ninevites repented.
There have been countless times in my very short time of serving God that I have found myself in a similar situation. Pouting about not getting my way (never to the point that I would rather die, yet). Going to sleep with a negative spirit only to wake up to the promise that "God makes all things new!" I realize that the times I don't get my way, I should be shouting out with great joy that God is on His throne doing the things that He wants. There are a lot of lessons in this short passage... I'm going to highlight a few (and maybe do them justice).
Avoid the "why me?" mentality. If God has chosen you to do something you don't like, you should be honored. Easy to say and write, really hard to practice.
Love people at all times. Never forget that God's Word had the power to change people's life, no matter where you are or where they are.
God's lessons come when we are considerably uncomfortable. OK this one is a little bit of a stretch in the passage. God is kinda humorous here. What is thought at first to be a help to Jonah (the plant) turns into a great object lesson that only God can do.
I think most of us know the story. God sends Jonah to Nineveh to tell them to repent. Jonah refuses to go because he doesn't like the people in Nineveh. Jonah was swallowed by a fish, repented, then he fulfilled his mission and the Ninevites repented.
There have been countless times in my very short time of serving God that I have found myself in a similar situation. Pouting about not getting my way (never to the point that I would rather die, yet). Going to sleep with a negative spirit only to wake up to the promise that "God makes all things new!" I realize that the times I don't get my way, I should be shouting out with great joy that God is on His throne doing the things that He wants. There are a lot of lessons in this short passage... I'm going to highlight a few (and maybe do them justice).
Avoid the "why me?" mentality. If God has chosen you to do something you don't like, you should be honored. Easy to say and write, really hard to practice.
Love people at all times. Never forget that God's Word had the power to change people's life, no matter where you are or where they are.
God's lessons come when we are considerably uncomfortable. OK this one is a little bit of a stretch in the passage. God is kinda humorous here. What is thought at first to be a help to Jonah (the plant) turns into a great object lesson that only God can do.
I love how whinny Jonah is in the Veggie Tales movie when "his" plant dies..."Oh Lord, how could you let this happen!"