Waiting. I was sitting at the computer doing just that – waiting on what the Lord would give me for today’s devotional when Jonah’s name rang again. To be transparent, I wasn’t really feeling super excited about returning to Jonah so soon. I was waiting for something, but not Jonah. “What, now, Lord?” But, uh, okay, Lord, here we go again. So I flipped my Bible pages over to the book of Jonah.
Jonah preached the message “In 40 days, Nineveh will be destroyed.” The people responded to the king’s request for everyone and the animals to fast (no food, no water) and cover themselves in sackcloth as a sign of repenting and cried “mightily unto God.” God’s response: Jonah 3:10 – And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.
Jonah was so angry with God that he said, just kill me, I’d rather die than live. Whew. Jonah was so angry he was talking crazy. Wanting to die behind God being merciful to an enemy was extreme, but that was where Jonah’s emotions had driven him to.
God, still expressing mercy to Jonah even in that moment, answered Jonah with a question of His own – is it right to be angry over this? Jonah walked off without offering as much as a nod of acknowledgment. Instead, he went to the outskirts of the city, built a little shelter for shade, plopped himself under it and waited to “see” what would happen to the city of Nineveh.
Jonah was waiting in vain.
So, the question tonight is what are you waiting for? Are you waiting for God to move or are you waiting for God to give you your way? Abandon the demands you’re putting on God. He’s not relenting because you don’t agree with Him.
You may have countless reasons as to why you want God to do “it” your way. Jonah had his reasons, too. But God’s will always stand head and shoulders above any limited plans we pull together for God to follow. When we wait on God, and accept His will, we are never waiting in vain.
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 KJV)
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. (Jonah 4:1-5 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)