God has called, will you answer?

Today we did a Bible lesson with the children at church.  I taught on the story of Jonah and as I was preparing for the lesson I realized how full of information this story is. The book of Jonah is only 4 chapters but there are several lessons in each chapter. I have taught this story a few different times, most recently while we were in India.  This time I saw something new, I found yet another lessson. 

 

Jonah saw God’s call as pointless. 

 

In Jonah 4:2 he tells God why he ran from him to Tarshish,

           “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God,

a God who relents from sending calamity.” 

Jonah knew that God loved his people and didn’t want to see them destroyed but he didn’t see why he had to go tell Nineveh they were going to be destroyed if God was going to pardon them anyway.  But without Jonah going to Nineveh and telling the people that God was going to  destroy the city they would have never repented and stop the evil acts they were committing.   They would have never fasted and put on the sackcloth.  It was this that made God change his mind,

 

Jonah 3:10 “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their

evil ways he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.”

 

God sent Jonah for a purpose.  Without Jonah’s message the people would have never known they were going to be destroyed.  As I saw this I began to think, how often am I like Jonah?  I think that the things I am doing are pointless or that it doesn’t matter if I do it or not.    Or how often do I get angry when God has compassion on someone that I don’t think deserves it?  We love when God has compassion on us, like when God sent to the fish to swallow up Jonah.  Jonah was great full that God saved him even though he had disobeyed.  We all have disobeyed God in one way or another and he has shown compassion and forgiven us even though we didn’t deserve it. 

 God
asks us to do things not because he needs us to complete them but
because he wants to include us in his work.  He wants us to be apart of
what he is doing.  When we disobey and don’t follow him where he is leading us we miss out on what he is wanting to do.  We are keeping people from hearing of the one who could change their life and they may never have another chance to hear the name Jesus.  So my question to you, and to myself, is this:

 

 

God has something amazing for your life.  You just need to answer him and follow what it is.  Thank you for all your continued support and prayers.  Please forgive me for the lack of updates lately.  I will try to let you know what is going on but I can’t promise anything.  I love you all and God bless.