Jonah 3:1-4
“Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” v. 2
Jonah did not like his mission assignment! Nineveh was the capital city of the hated Assyrians and Jonah had zero love for the country or its people. But he had no choice but to go…when he’d tried to escape the draft by fleeing across the sea the Lord had summoned a great fish to bring him back. The second time the orders came Jonah went. It’s an immensely entertaining story and hits at the core of our own reluctance to do what we’re called to do. The truth is that God loves people that we can’t stand. More than that, God even wants them to experience forgiveness and enjoy great blessings. Left to our own devices we would prefer to bring good news to those we like and maybe ignore all the others. As a result our congregations often turn out to be exclusive groups of like-minded people. But that’s completely unacceptable to God. Again and again he calls us to get off our rears and proclaim the gospel of grace to the unlovable. Even those we might regard as enemies are the much loved children of God. Perhaps it’s time for us to take a second look at our call to follow Jesus. There are some hurting folks in our world that will never hear the message unless we deliver it.
Thought for the Day: What message does God have for my enemies?
0 Comments