Jonah

The Lord has really been speaking to my heart from the book of Jonah. Since I also have grandkids and teach the children at our church, I decided to put the story of Jonah in rhyme. I'm not a poet and I know it, but I do have some fun.

The book of Jonah begins with a word
Nineveh is wicked and the Lord has heard.
He’s appointed a prophet to warn them to turn
But Jonah would really prefer they burn.
He hops a ship going in the other direction
He’s leaving God behind …well that’s his perception.
Running is tiring so Jonah sleeps
God hurls a storm and the boat begins to leak.
The sailors work and the sailors pray
But it seems they’ll not survive the day.
The captain finds Jonah asleep in the storm
He tells Jonah, “This is extremely bad form.
Get up, cry out to the God you cherish.
Don’t you care that we’re about to perish?
Someone has displeased the god of the seas
We’re casting lots to know who that would be.
The lot of course on Jonah fell
So his story he was forced to tell,
“I’m running from the God of sea and land
If you’re looking to blame… then I’m your man.”
The sailors tried to save his hide
But ended up throwing him over the side.
God appointed a fish who of course obeyed
That’s the only reason Jonah was saved.

The fish opened his mouth and Jonah went in
Life gets hard when you choose to sin.
Now he’s wide awake in the dark and
To the Lord’s voice he’s willing to hark.
He's so sorry he avoided God’s plan
So the fish vomits Jonah onto dry land.
God’s word comes to Jonah a second time
Go tell Nineveh though it’s in its prime
In forty days they’ll not be around
If they don’t repent I’m bringing them down.
This time you can believe that Jonah obeys
He gives the warning, “You’ve got forty days.”
From the least to the greatest they believe in Him
Because God is gracious He stays His hand.
Jonah pouts and Jonah prays
Why won’t you let me have my way?
I didn’t want to come and this proves my point
Your mercy on the wicked puts my nose out of joint.
Jonah sits on a hill to wait and see
Maybe the Lord will bring catastrophe.
He tries to get comfortable under a plant
It soothes his soul and it stops his rant.
God sends a worm to eat its leaves
This makes Jonah bitterly grieve.
“Jonah,” God says in a tender way,
“The death of a plant causes such dismay?
How much more a city great and tall
Filled with people, the old and small?”
We may judge and think Jonah’s not too smart
He had God’s message, but not God’s heart.
There the story ends but it gives me a thrill
To think what would happen on another hill.
One greater than Jonah would come and plea
But He would never just wait and see.
He would love and He would cherish
He died for our sin so we won’t perish.

Wait and See or Weep and Plead?

When God saw what they (Nineveh) did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. Jonah 3:10
But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. Jonah 4:1 Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Jonah 4:5

I have been in the book of Jonah for weeks. I knew that it was a word in due season for me. Everywhere I turned…someone was talking about Jonah. This morning as I was getting ready for church, it really hit me. Jonah had God’s message, but he did not have God’s heart.

Jonah had been sent to those who were not of his own people. In fact in approximately 50 years Assyria would come against Israel and take them into captivity. Even so, four times in the very short book of Jonah, Nineveh is called a great or an exceedingly great city. Archaeology is replete with the scope and historical significance of this ancient civilization. However, God was not impressed with their accomplishments; it was the state of their hearts that sent a putrefying stench heavenward. As always His mercy triumphs over judgment. God wanted them to repent so that He didn’t have to bring destruction to end their moral decay. Jonah took God’s message into the streets of Nineveh, “Forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” Jonah had God’s message, but he did not have His heart. He wanted them to perish. He wanted the word he spoke to be accomplished. He wanted his word to be validated and his reputation intact. He didn’t want to see his enemies blessed. He sat above the city under the shade of his arbor hoping against hope that they would be overthrown. He took a wait and see attitude.

How different would be the one who would come and make Himself of no reputation. Philippians 2:7 In Luke 19:41 we are told Jesus wept as He looked out over Jerusalem and prophesied the destruction that was coming upon them. Jesus grieved over the hardness of Jerusalem’s heart in Luke 13:34 and expressed His desire to gather and protect them like a hen her brood. In the Old Testament Ezekiel was commanded to tell God’s people that He takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but would rather they turn from their way and live. God clothed in human flesh would weep and plead.

I’ve asked myself why this would be so pertinent at this time. We know that America is in peril. Not only from enemies without, but by our own moral decadence. The church itself is filled with those whose lives are indistinguishable from those who don’t even profess Christ. God may give us a hard message to speak forth, but He wants it spoken with a lump in our throat and hope in our hearts that it will be received. He doesn’t want us sitting in cold hearted judgment dispassionately waiting for His wrath to fall all the while more concerned for our own reputation than His.

In the past year, I had to speak a strong word of warning to someone. At first, I was burdened and greatly concerned praying fervently that they would give heed. They didn’t. I realize now that I have taken a wait and see attitude. Pride sits on a perch and judges, humility gets down on its knees and intercedes. I am going back to my knees.

I can shake my head over Jonah in chapter four. What is revealed about him is not attractive at all. However, on deeper reflection and conviction by the Spirit of God I realize that I can fall into the same self-centered trap. How about you?

MY PRAYER: Lord, I want to have Your message and Your heart. Jesus left me an example to follow and the Spirit to empower me. I thank you that mercy triumphs over judgment.

Awake in the Dark

Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the stomach of the fish, and he said, "I called out of my distress to the LORD, and He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; Thou didst hear my voice. Jonah 2: 1-2

In chapter one Jonah is asleep in the light, but at this point we find him awake in the dark. God had appointed a great fish to swallow his disobedient prophet. I have heard it said that we can choose to disobey, but we don’t get to choose the consequences. Although Satan isn’t mentioned in this passage we can detect his presence. Doesn’t he fill our thoughts with what it will cost if we obey God? He will never breathe a word of what it will cost us to disobey.

I can’t imagine the horror and hopelessness that must have gripped Jonah as the reality of his predicament began to sink in. Oh wait, yes I can. I have experienced the sickening realization that my disobedience is exacting a higher price than I ever dreamed. Often our thoughts are self-centered and not focused on how we have spurned the direction of our God. We count the loss to ourselves and not the loss to His kingdom. Finally, Jonah says, “While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.” 2:7 The focus finally shifts from the consequences to the heart of the matter, which was the matter of Jonah’s heart. He seems to be coming to the place of compliance and the acknowledgement that there is no way out except for the Lord’s salvation.

Our God resides over this whole potentially disastrous story in majestic splendor. He saves the sailors physically and more importantly spiritually despite the terrible example set by Jonah. He rescues Jonah from certain death through a manner so incredible that it becomes a sign of the death, burial and resurrection of the coming Messiah. Matthew 12:40 Only God can come into the middle of our folly, redeem it, and use it for His glory.

Then the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land. Jonah 2:10 Deliverance can be messy and this was no exception. I wish more could be said for Jonah. As his story unfolds, we see Jonah never did get his attitude straightened out. I know better than to sit in harsh judgment on him. I am just glad that our God uses imperfect people to carry out His purposes. I am glad that He is a God of second chances. I am so glad that within the hidden folds of our story redemption can be found.

MY PRAYER: Lord, thank you for your patient and longsuffering attitude towards your people. Thank you for redeeming the messes that we make when we reject your plans for us. Thank you Jesus for being obedient and drinking an unwanted cup for our sake. You are beautiful beyond description. Amen.

Asleep in the Light

And the LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. Then the sailors became afraid, and every man cried to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down, and fallen sound asleep. So the captain approached him and said, "How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god. Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish." Jonah 1:4-6

I find this scenario in Jonah revealing and convicting. Here are heathen sailors doing all they know to do to survive in treacherous seas and it isn’t working. They begin crying out in fear to their “higher power” and find no relief or help there either. In their frantic fight for survival they find Jonah snoozing in the hold of the ship. Can you imagine a lost person coming to you and imploring you to call on your God to see if perhaps He will show some concern for their situation? I am not going to point the finger at Jonah without knowing 3 are pointing back at me. Am I the only one who can be appalled at my own lack of concern for the plight of those around me? Sometimes the Holy Spirit has to shake me out of my snoozing indifference saying, “Carol, call on Me, cry out to Me on behalf of those who are perishing Speak to them of My saving grace.”

There is such pathos in the captain’s hope that perhaps “your God will be concerned about us so that we won’t perish.” We truly have the good news that our God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish.

God help me, I can see myself in the lyrics of this Keith Green song. Please pray for me and let me know how I can pray for you.

Asleep in the Light
By Keith Green

Do you see, Do you see
All the people sinking down
Don't you care, don't you care
Are you gonna let them drown

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord"
You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear

But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?

Cause He brings people to your door,
And you turn them away
As you smile and say,
"God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps
Cause Jesus came to your door
You've left him out on the streets

Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay

God's calling and you're the one
But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak
But you keep holding it in,
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?

The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed

Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on, get out of your bed

How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done

Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.

MY PRAYER: Lord, I repent before You. I have been so well fed and yet I can be so numb. Help me not to close my eyes and pretend the jobs done. By your Spirit rouse me out of my apathy. In Jesus’ saving name, amen.