As I worked on this post a few days ago, the wind was
howling and snow was swirling around the streetlights outside. Quite a drastic
change from the day before, which had been a warm and gorgeous fall day. It often
snows earlier than this, but we have actually enjoyed quite a mild fall so far this
year. In fact, we just had our first frost within the last few weeks (about a
month later than average). The leaves on the trees were slower to change, and stayed
in color for longer than usual (or at least it seemed that way), though the pictures in this post were taken when things were past their peak.
We were on a walk a few weeks ago, enjoying the leaves, when PJ offhandedly commented to me that, “You haven’t written anything in a while.” I think I replied with something about us having been so busy over the past months, which was not untrue. In fact, I could list off any number of excuses as to why I haven’t been writing. Chiefly, though, the truth is that I just haven’t felt like it! I’ve lacked inspiration and motivation… and when you add that to the fact that it has been difficult to carve out time to sit down and start something, well, you see the result when you look at the date of my last post.
PJ’s remark was rather timely, though. I had, in fact, spent the previous several days mulling over a thought that I had while listening to the discussion at our most recent church Bible study, and writing about it was already something I was considering (albeit lightly). After his comment, he had gone on to suggest that I write about the adventures he has been having and the lessons he has been learning while working with a friend’s horse lately. Maybe I can convince him to write that post himself. 😉
Anyway, in the study I mentioned, we have been talking about different individuals from the Bible (most recently Jonah) in light of the overarching theme of hope. I like revisiting the familiar “Sunday School” stories from the Bible as an adult. You know – Daniel in the Lion’s Den, Noah’s Ark, the Fiery Furnace, and the like. I think I was a bit dismissive of them (in a sort of “I already know that story” type of way) during my teen and young adult years. I probably believed that I needed to move on to “deeper” things and put those child-friendly stories aside. But when you go back and reread those familiar tales – really digging into the scriptures this time, as well as using trusted resources to learn more about the customs and culture of those time periods – you start to pick out new details and notice things you never noticed before. What you “already knew” can take on a whole new light, and you may be surprised how God can use these “familiar” things to speak to you in a very personal way. They’re really not just for the kids!
Back to Jonah. You know the guy – tried to run from God, got swallowed up by a big fish and spit out – alive – three days later. He’s got a whole book in the Bible dedicated to his story and bearing his name. (If you haven’t read it recently, now is a great time to do it! It’s a short book – only four chapters. I’ll wait.)
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Finished? Great! 😁 So, this guy, Jonah. He is listed among the minor prophets of the Old Testament. As a prophet, he has the task of bringing the word of the Lord to the people, and God says to him, “Hey, I’ve got something you need to tell the people in the city of Nineveh.” Jonah doesn’t like this (he’s apparently got some history with the Ninevites), and he tries to run from God by boarding a ship that is headed in pretty much the exact opposite direction of where he is supposed to be going. The ship goes out with Jonah on board, and it isn’t too long before they run into trouble. A storm is threatening to break apart the boat and swamp them all. The sailors cast lots to see whose fault the storm is, and the lot falls to Jonah. At this point, he admits to them that he is running away from God. In light of his whole story, I find it very interesting how he describes God to them.
“So they (the sailors) asked him (Jonah), ‘Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?’ He answered, ‘I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’”
– Jonah 1: 8-9 NIV (parentheses mine)
Jonah isn’t ignorant of the power of God. His very own words prove it. He clearly knows who God is. And yet, despite that, he still tries to take off and escape from what God asked him to do. Eventually, this ends up with him getting thrown into the sea, being swallowed by a fish that God provides to save his life, and living in the fish’s belly for three days. The Bible records a fairly short prayer of Jonah's from his time inside the belly of the fish, but I have a feeling he actually spent the entire three days conversing with the Lord. Eventually, God tells the fish to spit Jonah out, and he gets vomited up onto dry land. Imagine how it would feel to see the sunlight and feel solid ground under your feet again after an experience like that! The second time God asks Jonah to go to Nineveh, he does it. No more fish stomach time-outs for him… but we’re not quite done yet, either. So Jonah goes and passes along the word of warning from God for the city, and the people do a serious about-face and repent whole-heartedly. Because of this, God relents and does not destroy the city. The last chapter of Jonah begins with these words, “But to Jonah this seemed very wrong…” Yeah, God didn’t do what Jonah thought He should, and in response to this, we see Jonah’s fleshly nature rising up again. He basically throws a fit because he is angry that God is merciful to people that (he feels) don’t deserve that kind of compassion (…never mind that he, himself, has also been an undeserving recipient of God’s grace). He then isolates himself outside the city to watch and see if God changes His mind and destroys Nineveh anyway. God is still patient, but firm, as He then tries to guide Jonah to a deeper understanding of Him.
I’ve often wondered why Jonah thought it would be reasonable, or even possible, to run from God’s clear call on his life. Sure, I know that people in modern days, myself included, have been known to outright rebel against (or more subtly try to avoid) what we know God is asking of us… but Jonah lived in Old Testament times. Totally different situation, right? I mean, they talked directly with God, and we… oh.
Yeah… so… I guess people are human now, and people were human then, too. The people and the stories in the Bible become more relatable when we remember that fact and can avoid either “de-humanizing” them (thinking of them as emotionless puppets) or going to the other extreme and putting them on some sort of idealistic pedestal.
When I was summarizing Jonah’s story above, I may have sounded like I was being hard on him. However, I hope you realize that he really wasn’t all that much different from you or I, right down to being self-serving, prideful, and even at times thinking he probably knew better than God how to handle a situation. All of these are things that most human beings are prone to. So, the thought I had during our Bible study was this: I wonder if Jonah (human as I am) was guilty of doing something else that I tend to do probably even more often than I realize – diminishing the power of God in my own mind.
Jonah knew God. I know God, too, right? I go to church, pray, and read my Bible (though not as frequently as I ought to). I share Him with others – blogging, talking with friends, sharing a worship song I appreciate, or a book I read, praying for someone, etc. The thing is, when troubles come in my life, I am so quick to allow myself to be consumed by worry. Yes, I’ll pray about the situation. Yes, I’ll say (and even believe!) that I’m trusting God. But many times, my thought life reveals a different story altogether. In my own mind, I’m not displaying trust. I’m worrying! I’m panicking! I’m an anxiety-ridden mess on the inside… but why? I know of God’s power. I know who He is. I have experienced His faithfulness in the past. I know that He is trustworthy and good. So why am I behaving like I don’t know these things and have never heard them before in my life? In my mind – somewhere between my knowledge of God and my fear of what I can’t control – I’ve downplayed God’s power. Instead of taking a stand on what I know and believe, I’ve allowed Satan’s influence to seep in and cause me to question and doubt. Instead of praying and truly trusting… I’m praying and wondering. I’m acting as if I do not believe what I say I believe – just like Jonah did. Instead of acting upon what I know, I’ve tried to flee to a far-off city, the storm is raging, and I’m telling the people with me that my God is the creator of heaven and earth EVEN THOUGH I’m acting like maybe I think I created it all, instead. (In case you’re wondering – yes, I winced as I wrote that. Thought about retracing my steps and deleting it, but then decided that, yes, it probably was pretty accurate and I should leave it as is. Ouch.)
The challenge that Jonah and I (and you!) face is learning how to die to self Every. Single. Day. This is, without a doubt, going to be a process. We’re going to do well at times, and at other times we’re going to fail. It is going to be something we’ll mostly likely be working on for the rest of our lives, and that’s because it goes against our very nature. Human nature makes it all about ME, but the story of the world is about HIM.
Want to hear something encouraging? God saw fit to use Jonah to be his messenger, and make no mistake – He knew Jonah’s character. God knew it even better than Jonah knew it himself, and yet He still chose to send an imperfect servant forth to spread His word. Just the same, God knows ME. God knows us ALL. Every last bit! Our pastor likes to say that there is one thing that God cannot do: God cannot find a perfect person to carry out His work. And yet, knowing what He does, He still chooses us to be His hands and feet in the world. How amazing is that?! What an awesome responsibility we have been given. It should truly humble us.
The account of Jonah in the Bible ends rather abruptly.
Where did he go from there? Did he mature in his faith after Nineveh, or did he
continue to struggle? We may not know the end of Jonah’s story, but we do have
a say in what happens in our story. There is a choice to be made every single
day we wake up, and it begins in our mind. Will we acknowledge God’s authority,
or will we make an attempt to diminish His position in our lives and in the
world? I’m so thankful that God is patient with us when we make poor choices,
just as He was with Jonah, aren’t you? He won’t just hang us out to dry and
move on to the next person, but it is important to swallow our pride and maintain
a teachable attitude. Hardened clay cannot be modeled.
The Creator of the universe loves and values you. He doesn’t look down on you, but walks with you. He tasks you with the most important job ever – leading others to know Him through your words and actions – and He never fails to support you through it all. Be encouraged, and be blessed.
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
-Ephesians 4: 22-24 (NIV)
*Photos taken by me on Hell Canyon Trail in South Dakota's Black Hills.
**Scripture references taken from the NIV Bible unless otherwise mentioned.
