Have you ever exercised your will over the will of God? Have you ever been so willful that you choose to go your own way no matter what God said? If so, you have been at the same place as the prophet Jonah. God called Jonah to deliver a message to God's people as a warning. Jonah flatly refused! It was Jonah's will over God's. Guess who won?
I am doing the One Year Bible in chronological order this year. And yes, I'm now in Leviticus.. Yawn.. However, the portion I read yesterday shook me out of my boredom, sending chills right down my spine.
Lev 26
... if you refuse to obey me, I will 1. Send debilitating disease, high fevers, blindness (lose my health!) 2. Enemies will eat your crops (I labour, others take credit!). 3. People who hate you will govern you (that idiot is gonna be my teacher/boss??!!). 4. You'll run scared even when there's no one chasing you (stressed until I hallucinate!). 5. No matter how hard you work, nothing will come of it (totally helpless!). 6. Wild animals will rob you of your children, kill your cattle (The gloomy economic dragon will eat me up!). 7. Send a deadly epidemic on you (unknown virus, lethal diseases!). 8. Send war (from where? Family wars? Cold wars?). 9. Cut off your bread supply (losing my job!). 10. You'll end up cooking and eating your sons in stews and your daughters in barbecues (!!).
The list goes on...
Wah, a bit kua1 zhang1 right? God, chill it man.. God has a way of getting us to rethink our decisions, to reconsider our position. In fact, we see the extent of Jonah's willfulness by the amount of time he was willing to hang out in the belly of that fish - three full days! Then, Jonah decides enough is enough! Obedience is better than this fish belly and seaweed. I can identify with Jonah. I am worse than Jonah at times.. Many of us are sometimes placed in the "belly of the fish" to encourage us to fulfill the purposes of God, to right our wrong. Jonah's situation changed immediately upon his obedience. Obedience is a mysterious thing. Jesus had to learn it through the things He suffered.
Heb. 5:8 (NASV)
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
If Jesus had to learn obedience, what does that mean for you and me?
Lev 26: 40 - 42 (The Message)
... if they confess their sins.. I will remember..
God will remember His covenant with us. He will remember His unfailing love for us. He will remember.
Yeah, happy ending :)
Shepherd
I am doing the One Year Bible in chronological order this year. And yes, I'm now in Leviticus.. Yawn.. However, the portion I read yesterday shook me out of my boredom, sending chills right down my spine.
Lev 26
... if you refuse to obey me, I will 1. Send debilitating disease, high fevers, blindness (lose my health!) 2. Enemies will eat your crops (I labour, others take credit!). 3. People who hate you will govern you (that idiot is gonna be my teacher/boss??!!). 4. You'll run scared even when there's no one chasing you (stressed until I hallucinate!). 5. No matter how hard you work, nothing will come of it (totally helpless!). 6. Wild animals will rob you of your children, kill your cattle (The gloomy economic dragon will eat me up!). 7. Send a deadly epidemic on you (unknown virus, lethal diseases!). 8. Send war (from where? Family wars? Cold wars?). 9. Cut off your bread supply (losing my job!). 10. You'll end up cooking and eating your sons in stews and your daughters in barbecues (!!).
The list goes on...
Wah, a bit kua1 zhang1 right? God, chill it man.. God has a way of getting us to rethink our decisions, to reconsider our position. In fact, we see the extent of Jonah's willfulness by the amount of time he was willing to hang out in the belly of that fish - three full days! Then, Jonah decides enough is enough! Obedience is better than this fish belly and seaweed. I can identify with Jonah. I am worse than Jonah at times.. Many of us are sometimes placed in the "belly of the fish" to encourage us to fulfill the purposes of God, to right our wrong. Jonah's situation changed immediately upon his obedience. Obedience is a mysterious thing. Jesus had to learn it through the things He suffered.
Heb. 5:8 (NASV)
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.
If Jesus had to learn obedience, what does that mean for you and me?
Lev 26: 40 - 42 (The Message)
... if they confess their sins.. I will remember..
God will remember His covenant with us. He will remember His unfailing love for us. He will remember.
Yeah, happy ending :)
Shepherd
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