Jonah 1, 2 Thessalonians 3

Jonah 1

“But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish.” Jonah 1:1

How many times in our lives have we been urged by the Spirit to do something but choose not to do? It’s amazing, daily there are opportunities to either choose the way of Christ or choose the way of self. Whether they are small things, or huge things, we have a responsibility as children of God to trust and press into the leadings of God. But our checklists of all the details come in to play. Many times they are details that seem huge but are not. Many times they are just selfish.

Jonah wouldn’t go to Nineveh because He felt they didn’t deserve it the warning of God’s coming judgment. This makes me ask the question: Who does he think he is? What place does he have to not only question God, and later get mad at him for doing something that is compassionate?

Here’s a better question: When I think about my life, who do we think I am? When God places me in opportunities to follow him, who do I think I am to disobey or to even question? For those of us who’ve seen God’s faithfulness, who are we to even doubt or be concerned about ourselves? How can we forget God’s promises and faithfulness to provide, bless, walk with us, and give us His joy and full life?

As we raise our children, as we husband our wives, as we represent Christ in our attitudes, as we choose how we spend our money, as we choose how we spend our time, will we choose the ways of God’s leading?

God, we are selfish people. Cover us with your leading and your heart. Remind us of your grace and your sovereignty, that we might live out of worship for you, not concerned for ourselves (as we know YOU are concerned for us) but for others.

2 Thessalonians 3

While the whole section on not being idle makes me want to just jump out of my skin and start doing things… something… anything… and keep going… The verse that appeals to my Spirit is verse 1. It says, “Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” I’m reminded about the power and priority of prayer, but also that their desire for the message of Christ was that it would not only spread rapidly, but that it be HONORED. So many times we forget that the Word of God is living. It represents God himself and should be treated as such. There is a reason that scripture tells us that Jesus was the Word made flesh. When we spend time pouring over God’s word and making it a priority in our lives (and our church) wee are spending time with Christ! We are building a relationship! We are fellowshipping with the God of this universe! May we never minimize the living Word of God!