Jonah 4New International Version (NIV)
Jonah’s Anger at the Lord’s Compassion
4 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now,Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[a] and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die,and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh,in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Charles Spurgeon has this to say about a revival, "A true revival is to be looked for in the church of God. Only in the river of gracious life can the pearl of revival be found. It has been said that a revival must begin with God's people; this is very true, but it is not all the truth, for the revival itself must end as well as begin there. The results of the revival will extend to the outside world, but the revival, strictly speaking, must be within the circle of life, and must therefore essentially be enjoyed by the possessors of vital godliness, and by them only. Is not this quite a different view of revival from that; which is common in society; but is it not manifestly the correct one?"
First of all, in the book of Jonah, we read about a prophet (Jonah) he was called by God. "The Book of Jonah is one of the Minor Prophets in the Bible. It tells of a Hebrew prophet named Jonah son of Amittai who is sent by God to prophesy the destruction of Nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission.[1] Set in the reign of Jeroboam II (786–746 BC), it was probably written in the post-exilic period, sometime between the late 5th to early 4th century BC.[2] The story has an interesting interpretive history (see below) and has become well-known through popular children's stories. In Judaism it is the Haftarah for the afternoon of Yom Kippur due to its story of God's willingness to forgive those who repent.[Wikipedia}
In chapter 4, Jonah is angry with God because he has mercy and compassion on the people of Israel's enemy. Jonah flees from God, because he did not want them to repent. There is so much to this book that I encourage all of you to read it. Study it and pray on it.
Let's look at some questions that we have a right, as citizens to ask:
- Is our government truly representing its people?
- Do both sides of the argument have valid points that should be addressed?
- How do we heal as a Nation?
- Why is the internet filled with so much hate and bitterness about others?
- Where is God in this?
- What is God's will in all of this for me, as a Christian?
- What's missing from our schoools?
- What is missing from our Congress?
- Where do I turn to in this election year?
- Whose got this anyways?
Let's be honest here, regardless of your political bent, something is wrong with this society when we put the "I" before the "We".
What is God's will for our lives as Christians (I can answer this one by His Word):
1 Thessalonians 4New International Version (NIV)
Living to Please God4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
Let's come together by putting on the following the road map of Colossians 3:
- Setting our hearts on things above
- Setting our minds on God above
- Putting to death our old self (our old sin nature)
- Clothing ourselves with Love, Compassion, Kindness, Humility, Gentleness and Patience (take the log out of our eyes before we judge and condemn others)
- Let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly
- Just don't say it - Do what God calls us to do
- Serve others before we self serve us.
Maybe instead of taking God's word out of the hearts and minds of our citizens we need to be praying for God's will in this country instead of what's best for you and me.
My heart breaks for
- Those who wear a uniform and serve our country (who are being treated and have been treated harshly)
- For the innocent who are being unfairly treated
- For those whose rights are being violated by others
- For the brokenhearted
- For those who lost loved ones
- For those who God cares for
Whatever we do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessings,
Dante