Jonah – The Story of God’s Great Love!
Jonah 1; Jonah 2; Jonah 3; Jonah 4; 2 Timothy 2
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Scripture
Jonah's Anger at the Lord 's Compassion
1 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, "O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live."
4 But the LORD replied, "Have you any right to be angry?"
5 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. 6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah's head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, "It would be better for me to die than to live."
9 But God said to Jonah, "Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?"
"I do," he said. "I am angry enough to die."
10 But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"
Observation
The story of Jonah and the great fish is really a story all about God and his great love for people. Listen to God’s heart in verses 10 and 11, “But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"
This story also shows God’s great patience with his servants. He did not give up on Jonah even though Jonah was disobedient and full of hatred and prejudice for the people of Nineveh.
Application
Are you prejudice? Are you willing to go anywhere God would want to send you? You and I may be more like Jonah than we think! Would you go to the Sudan or how about Iraq, Iran…think about it?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to be willing to go anywhere you would want to send me. Help Kathy and I to stay financially free to be able to be obedient to go when you call. Help me not to be prejudice of someone because of the color of his/her skin or the language that they speak. You are a God full of mercy and compassion for the peoples of this world that still live in darkness. Thank you for saving me. You are wonderful and worthy to be praised!
Today’s "Life Journal" Daily Bible Reading can be found on Line. Click Here!
6 comments:
Hey Eddy,
I loved this post today. I have been so excited about Missions lately. I am going on a music mission trip to Monterrey Mexico August 1st for a week and am so excited. We are going to do a concert in spanish for the Seminary there as a fundraiser to help the seminary raise money for computers.
It is a music mission trip and there are 38 of us in the choir going. I am already to go and am taking some spanish classes at church that we have lined up for it.
They are also going to cuba at the end of the summer and I would love to do that one but I dont have enough time to raise the money for that so I will do that next year. We go every summer to Cuba.
Dennis and Cindy left yesterday for a month sabatical. They will be gone all of July, he sure diserves it he is an awesome pastor!
Hope yall are ok, I miss you both and loved the Birthday card Kath sent it was so awesome!!
Love you both tons.
Paulette
Paulette,
I am so glad that you are going on a Mission's trip. Kathy has decided to go with me to Tlaxcala, Mexico on July 27-Aug 3 with the team from our church. It was where we used to serve a long time ago. Thanks for taking the time to write.
Love,
Eddy
How cool we will be in Mexico during the same time. Ill look it up on google earth to see the location. Iam glad Kath is going with you, ill bet that will bring back memories. I will be praying for you as you prepare to go.
Love yall
Eddy,
That's so true how we get wrapped up in our own little circles and sometimes neglect others for the way they look or what they have. It's never ceased to amaze me how some churches condemn a person before they even walk in the door - that is one of the many things I love about our church, we have many colors, many "classes", many different people represented and rather you are rich or poor, black or white, I think we are all treated equal at TBC and that's a wonderful blessing and it's a lesson I want my kids to learn early on. We are all HIS kids - so you can't pick and choose, we are all equal. With all that's going on in the world today, I see so many people class together all "muslims" as terroist and that's simply not true - we need to remember that we should treat everyone with respect and dignity and God wants to see us all in Heaven...thanks for blogging!
Paulette,
We will pray for you too as you serve in Mexico!
Eddy
Sandra,
I love how God is working in our church. I am excited about what He is doing in the lives of so many people. So many are coming with so many needs and it isn't a quick fix for them, but God is doing a Mighty work! Thanks for taking the time to touch lives and for being His Witness.
Eddy
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