Jonah

(I actually wrote this yesterday, but blogger wouldn't let me post it)

Jonah is a very “short” book of the bible, just 4 chapters long. I am sure I have read it before, but it’s been a long, long time, and how many times growing up have I heard the shortened version of the story of Jonah and have even read it to my daughter. The one thing I have always remembered is he was swallowed by a really big fish for 3 days and then God allowed him to be puked up. Nice, huh? Of course there is so MUCH more to this story! I read it today on my ½ hour lunch and you would not believe the lessons I re-learned today!

From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God whom he had been trying to hide from. He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.” That was me this morning in my mind. Desperately I was saying Lord, I need you to speak to me, and I need you to ease my human mind of my worldly fears.

Then when Jonah followed what the Lord wanted and went to Nineveh and proclaimed that in forty more days Nineveh would be overturned the Ninevites believed God and what was to come. ALL of them fasted, put on sackcloth, and turned to God. When God saw this he had compassion on Nineveh because they had turned from their evil ways, and the Almighty did not bring the destruction he had promised.

Do you see that? God gives us a second chance because he loves us that much. It saddens him when we turn away and do not trust and he wants us to turn ourselves over to him whole heartily and allow him to have the control he has in our lives.

I needed God to speak this very truth to me today through Jonah. Life has been super crazy since May and today I am tired, I was feeling very weary, and allowing fear of the unknown to set in. There is so much going on that I won’t drag on about, but I needed to remember that God is in control and if I allow him to lead he will not lead me where he will not take care of my every need and my families.