As we take a look and read about Jonah,he seems to be a favorite among all children. They know that God told Jonah to go to Nineveh,he disobeyed and ended up in the belly of a big fish,and in turn he went to Nineveh for God. There is alot in this story,and this story touches our lives today. Where is your Nineveh? Is God asking you to go somewhere or to someone? He is asking you to do something for Him? The big question is are we listening,and are we moving for God? In this story about Jonah,he didn't like the people of Nineveh,and he really thought God should punish them. He knew they were bad,and doing wrong.He didn't want to face them,he didn't want to be the middle man as you could say. He was fearful,and he just really didn't care.So what did he do? He ran the other way and ended up on a ship. Where are you ending up today? As the storm brewed,those around him knew it was he who was causing the storm,so what happened? He got thrown off the boat,and into the belly of a big fish.He was angry,he held so much anger inside him,it was killing him.Isn't that what anger does to us? It feeds off all those feelings we have,it seems to overtake all we know is right,and we turn away full of anger and wrath. Jonah knew God was wanting to use him,but he really didn't care at the time.It was kinda all about Jonah,and his feelings. We can be as Jonah was also. We can be afraid to face what God is sending us into.But would God send us in,if He were not with us? No,He sends us in with a plan and a purpose. He knows just what we are going to face.With God at our side do we really have anything to fear? No way,God is bigger than anything we must encounter each day. He stands in the way of those who don't want to listen.He stands in the way of those we are fearful of. Either He is God or not.And we know without a doubt that He is God. Jonah found this out the hard way.With his disobedience God was not happy.He was not pleased with Jonah,and He had to show Jonah the best way,but teaching him. It is through those teachings that we learn the most at times."Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying,'Arise,go to Nineveh, that great city,and preach to 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 ciy,a three-day journey in extent. and Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. Then he cried out and said,'Yet forty days,and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Jonah 3:1-4Now Jonah had obeyed God and did what He asked, and Nineveh obeyed.Jonah didn't seem happy about this. In fact he was angry. He wanted God to come down upon this nation and its people. Through Jonah's anger God taught him about kindness and grace. He showed Jonah is love through His disipline. If you go and read chapter 4 it goes on to tell how Jonah was mad at the plant that had given him shade. God had prepared a worm to eat away that plant,to take away the shade,and cause winds to come in.Jonah wanted God to take his life now.God taught him again through one plant that his anger had no place. He wanted God to have mercy on a plant,but not His people. Are we like Jonah too? I know I have been. I have seen mean people and thought God should take care of them and put them in their places. Am I to judge those around me? No,I am a sinner just as the people of Ninevah,and Jonah also.God showed us through this story redemption,grace and kindness. If God,who is God of all creation can have this for others,why shouldn't we? Do we think because it is happening to us now,that it doesn't apply? God's word applies to all,and in all situations. We can't change His word to fit our need. His word is solid,unchanging,as we should be. If you are facing a Nineveh on your pathway,don't go astray,look forward,knowing God is with you,He has His hands upon you and will guide you through.Keep our eyes on Him and we can never lose sight of our Ninevehs, or never fear what God is asking of us. It's not the game of Monopoly,we don't always get a free pass,around the big blue ones we never want to land on. It's those big blue ones that God will take us to,and take us through...
