GOD USES IMPERFECT MESSENGERS TO BRING HIS MESSAGE!
GOD USES IMPERFECT MESSENGERS TO BRING HIS MESSAGE!
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. —Jonah 2-3
Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God.— Jonah 3:1-5
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
And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” —Jonah 5:10-11
Who is our Lord asking you to go to with His message? Are you being obedient or are you, like Jonah, being disobedient and fleeing from what our Lord desires?
Our Lord, in His mercy and grace, provided a second opportunity for Jonah to be obedient in going to share the message God gave him to speak. It took a “near death” experience before Jonah agreed to obey. Still, he did not have the right attitude when he did go. Jonah said about God that “I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” But Jonah was angry that God would act so toward those Jonah perceived as his enemies.
God challenged Jonah— “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” Jonah cared more about a single plant that gave him comfort more than thousands of people that could perish forever!
But before we come down on Jonah— could this be a picture of ourselves? Do we care more about our comfort than being obedient as sent ones (John 17:18) to bring the message God has given us to give to others? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD6khv6pGkw&t=126s God used just these words from Jonah— “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” —and the whole city repented. God had prepared the people to hear and respond to this message in His timing. Let us not forget that God is preparing people around us to receive the message. He is also preparing us. Will we obey?
Oh, Dear Father, may I be obedient and bring the gospel message to those around me. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. Yes, may this be for Your honor and glory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RGSvFO7kl8