I was pondering over where the Lord wanted me to go with the next devotional. Surely, the book of Jonah is in the rearview mirror. But the Lord nudged my heart to go back to Jonah.
At church, we’ve been studying the story of the widow and the pot of oil for several months (2 Kings 4:1-7). So, when the Lord tugged at my heart about going back to Jonah, I understood the “pull up a chair and stay a while” assignment.
For me, staying in the same scriptures for months at a time is both beautiful and frustrating. I could see Jonah in myself from my internal response. No, I didn’t run or refuse, but twinges of “Really, Lord. Again?” rang out.
No, He wasn’t done speaking to my heart. So today, like the past few days, we will revisit our friend Jonah. What caught my attention was that Jonah acted as if his running would end the conversation between him and God.
God spoke, but Jonah said no through his actions. Then, God chose to continue the conversation through His actions! Jonah’s actions hadn’t silenced God!
The storm, being thrown overboard, the three-night stay in the dreadful belly of the fish – all of it was God talking through circumstances telling Jonah, “No, the discussion is not over!”
God sat Jonah down in a dark, dreadful place and waited for him to run out of steam. After day three, Jonah finally opened his mouth and prayed! And, God answered circumstantially by causing the fish to vomit him out on dry land. Then God said, “Arise, Go to Nineveh.”
The conversation topic hadn’t changed at all. Jonah’s locations changed, but God’s discussion with him remained the same. Go to Nineveh, Jonah.
Yes, God wanted obedience, which Jonah eventually gave. But God’s conversation with Jonah was all about addressing the condition of his heart.
After preaching, Jonah left the city, built a little shelter for shade, sat under it and waited to see Nineveh’s fate. Hm, he didn’t realize God had him pull up a chair!
God began to speak. This time not audibly, but via circumstances. God made a gourd grow up over Jonah for shade, which he greatly appreciated. But by dawn the next morning, a worm God created destroyed the gourd, which meant no shade. And finally, God caused a fierce wind to blow (so much for the shelter he made) and the sweltering heat caused Jonah to faint and wish he was dead!
The rawness of Jonah’s heart is evident, and so is God’s loving determination not to let Jonah walk away before fully engaging him about the condition of his heart.
Yes, Jonah was angry and bitter, but it was at that dark place where God picked up the conversation with him. Jonah had nowhere to run, nor could he drown God out.
When God wants to have a conversation with you, that will be. We cannot dictate how God will speak. There truly is no place to hide and no way to silence God’s voice.
So tonight, I choose to abandon my ideas about where I’d rather be – because anywhere outside of His will is an invitation for God to speak in unexpected ways. Pulling up a chair and staying awhile means accepting that God has more to say to me about my heart. I choose to engage instead of offer excuses in an attempt to maintain my flawed heart.
4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry.2 And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.3 Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.4 Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry?5 So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city.6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle? (Jonah Chapter 4 KJV)
In the Master’s Service,
Author/Pastor Michele D Robertson
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28-29 (KJV)