God said do this Jonah did that

                   One of the prayers from the bible was prayed by Jonah after blatantly disobeying His clear will to go to Nineveh and cry against it. This foolish decision to flee from  the presence of the Lord caused him a boat load of trouble so to speak LOL! You know the story...he ended up in the belly of the whale.  Jesus said that it was a sea monster ( Gr. ketos, Matt.12:40). If you think your disobedience only hurts yourself, think again. These mariners were afraid for their lives as were Jesus' disciples in the book of Matthew 8:25 " Lord, save us: we perish"
                   "Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly"..." I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple"...When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord" Jonah 2: 1,4,7
                    When will we as disciples of Christ ever get it? The one who has predestined us to be conformed into his image, who formed us in our mothers womb, who is for us not against us....this God is the same God of Jonah. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness 2 Tim.3:16 Why did our Lord want us to have this book of the bible anyway? So we could hear it as kids in Sunday school?  I agree there is a place for this in Sunday school, but my guess is that we may learn from it. You disobey God, you get into a pickle. God said do this Jonah did that. Place your name in that phrase :  Johnny I want you to start a ministry for kids your age to help them avoid the pitfalls that Satan has mapped out for them. Sorry God..I have too much going on with band practice and church functions, why not ask Denny, besides , he is much more suitable for the job. Sounds a little like Moses' conversation with God doesn't it? Two years later Johnny is playing in a band that he has no business playing in and winds up addicted to alcohol..the very thing he was commissioned of God to warn teenagers against!
                   I don't know about you, but this instant obedience to God doesn't come easy especially to us United States Christians who don't even give it a thought when we flick the light switch on or place a phone call or place an order at your nearest Mickee Dees for a sweet tea. To say it bluntly, we are spoiled comfort zone Christians that haven't a clue what we truly got compared to others in 3rd world countries even if we went on a missions trip!
                  As the prodigal son of old, Jonah actually did come to himself..repented and went on with God. Now the intelligent thing to do as a 21st century Christian kid is to learn from his wrong choice. Amen. The smartest most sane thing any Christian could do is obey the voice of God when lined up with Scripture..the quicker the better. Remember our God loves us and all of heaven is cheering us onward so let us : "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" Philippians 3:14    Let us purpose in our hearts that we will learn from this prayer of the bible and turn a deaf ear to Satan's lies that we will be missing out if we go God's way
                     Perhaps you have a story that you would like to share that if you only obeyed instead of the other.....

1 comment :

  1. We do have to stop and wonder if we in America worship the gods of comfort and ease. Thanks for this post and thanks for commenting at Lily Valley.

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