A Life Worthy

Final thoughts before we leave Jonah son of Amittai…

Jonah wanted to serve God.

On Jonah’s terms.

Our relationship with Jesus Christ is portrayed in many ways in Scripture.

We are servant, disciple, ambassador, friend, brother, child, Bride.

Never—not once—contract employee.

A contract employee signs an agreement to do a specified job for a specified amount of pay.  Employer and employee negotiate over duties and payment, and the employee is not expected to perform any tasks not detailed in the negotiations.

“Sorry,” he can say, “That’s not in my contract.”

The Lord of the Universe doesn’t work that way.

He’s not interested in negotiation—only surrender.

Utter, complete obedience and submission, whether you understand what he’s doing or not.  

Whether you like what he’s doing or not. 

It sounds harsh, and I wouldn’t recommend it with anyone else but the One who gave his only Son, that if you trust him you shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

So once again, we find ourselves at the question: Do you trust him, Beloved?

Submit boldly today.  Kneel tall, and surrender at the top of your lungs.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

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.”  (Jonah 4:9)

Wow, Jonah

Childish, much?

Look, I’d love to say that I can’t identify with Jonah at all here, that I’ve never been whiny and self-righteous and small before the Lord.

But He knows better.

And, probably, so do you.

What amazes me at this point in the story is God’s reaction. He reasons with Jonah, talks him off the ledge. Frankly, after all of Jonah’s lip and disobedience I would likely say, “You got it, kid!” and reduce him to a pile of fish-smelling ashes.

Let’s call it Reason #8635 to be glad I’m not God, and give a loud Huzzah for mercy.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

Jonah wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.” (Jonah 4:8).

Have you been there, Beloved?

Before we write Jonah off as overly dramatic, can you identify with him? Have you ever been in a place where your outward circumstances and your inward turmoil were just too much, and you wanted it all to be done? 

Well, then.

I don’t know what got you out of that place, or if you are out of that place. All I can point out is that the more Jonah focused on his circumstances, his desires, and what he saw as the proper outcome, the more frustrated and disappointed and angry he got. In fact, the only time in this narrative that Jonah seems truly at peace is when he abandons any sense of his own righteousness or understanding and focuses entirely on the mercy of God. 

And that happened, oddly enough, in the belly of the fish.

Go figure.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

But the Lord replied, “Have you any right to be angry?” (Jonah 4:4)

Leave it to God to get right to the heart of the issue.

I mean, seriously.  Who was Jonah to get so self-righteous and uptight?  I love the fact that God does not engage Jonah on the relative merits of the Ninevitian repentance, because that’s not the issue.

The issue is the nature of God.

Is God responsible to us?  Is he required to answer our questions or fulfill our expectations?

Or is he Lord of the Universe, Almighty God, creator and ruler of all, beholden to none?

How easily we forget.

And by “We,” I mean, you know…me.

Beloved, when it comes right down to it, we are a lot closer to the Ninevites’ level than to God’s.  If we really push for justice over grace, we will not be pleased with the outcome.

Trust me—if the Justice whale drops, we are all in the splash zone.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry (Jonah 4:1).

I know it’s wrong

immature

unspiritual

but…I love this.

I’m so glad we have Jonah.  He’s a real person, not a cutout character from a Sunday School flannel board.  Jonah feels angry because he knows that the Ninevites don’t deserve God’s mercy.  They deserve a serious smackdown, and Jonah was looking forward to a front row seat.

Been there, Jonah.

Felt that.

Every time I’m in heavy traffic.

You know, there’s a way out of a Jonah mood.  It’s kind of dangerous, though. You can look closely at those Ninevites, and you can pray that God would allow you to see these people as he sees them.  God will grant your request, if you really mean it.

And you will lose your capacity to hate them, no matter how badly they drive.

Like I said, though, it’s dangerous.  You may begin to see a lot of things as God sees them, and that’ll change you.

Are you up for that, Beloved?

Happy Wednesday.