Invest 9 minutes in the video above for a visual summary of this hilarious book. It’s funny to laugh at God’s prophet who does everything wrong – funny, that is, until you realize that you are Jonah, and so am I. The book is a satirical device to show us our own hearts.
Do we really know God’s heart of love for our enemies? Do we accept it or resent it?
It is the essence of the gospel, that God loved us while we were still His enemies, but – like Jonah – we are very slow to apply that truth to those who have hurt us.
Picture Jonah sitting outside of Nineveh, hoping fire from heaven would fall and consume those idolatrous pagans but fearing that God would actually forgive them.”
“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, ‘O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.'” Jonah 4:1-2
Now, remember our series on CALLING. We’ve just spent four weeks 1) reflecting on the judgment seat of Christ and how each of us will give an account of ourselves to Him; 2) studying our natural gifts (like David’s sling) and our spiritual gifts (like David’s harp); 3) considering our passions – the people and issues the Lord has laid on our hearts and; 4) processing our story – how God uses our blessing and brokenness to prepare us for ministry.
Then hear God’s Word to you:
“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.’” Jonah 1:1-2
God has work for every one of us to do. We are His salt and light in a dark and broken world. YOU have a masterpiece mission (Eph. 2:10) that only you can accomplish. It may end with a large, established ministry impacting thousands. But it starts with one person.
God says to you, “Arise, go to _____________.”
Whom can you encourage today? How can you bring hope to someone who is struggling? How can you use your story to speak into someone else’s story?
To fulfill your calling only three steps are needed:
- Hear God’s voice
- Know God’s heart
- Obey God’s call
“The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9
We will spend the next eight weeks studying Jonah and learning from his little book what not to do when it comes to God’s call. Read the book and invite God first to speak to your heart and then to show you HIS heart, leading you to that first step into obedience to His call on your life.