For Real??????

Jonah; II Kings 5 – 14; Joel; Amos 1-6

I find the story of Jonah really messed up. Think about it God comes to Jonah and says hey go tell those people they are messed up, Jonah says what? No way! And God says you want to run from me, Then watch this. God throws a storm in Jonah’s path, Jonah goes crap, ok guys if you want to live throw me overboard, and they end up doing it. So, Jonah begins to bob in the sea and what happens next? A big fish swallows him, not only that but Jonah is alive in the belly and says a little prayer of humility and repentance. So the fish goes, Umm, you don’t taste so good Belch and throws him up on the shore. Then God says again go to Ninevah. Do you think for a minute Jonah may have thought I don’t want to? So Jonah goes into Ninevah, prophecies and they hear and turn and God spares them for their repentance. You would think Jonah would go woo-hoo go God but he doesn’t he gets mad and goes off and sulks and God says what are you doing? Jonah was upset about God being gracious and merciful! But, God is just as concerned about the Ninevites as He is about anyone.

Are we like that? We have a little ownership issue! We want our church’s to stay a certain way to be like we like with who we like in them. I’ve seen parents pull kids out of youth groups because they don’t like the fact a “rough” kid has started coming. I have seen people shun others because they know their history. I have had phone calls from “Christians” to just let me know about the person I was talking with. I’ve had ministers tell me that someone is a bad person and not to expect to see them make it. Man we have gotta stop that! I am having a hard time with the lack of mercy and grace I see permiating through the church (not the building the people). I am a sinner, I am a bad sinner, I have done things in my past that are just terrible, (No, no killing, fornication, etc.) but I have broken the law in a few ways. But in God’s eyes I am forgiven. In God’s eyes I am clean. You see God loves everyone and there really is nothing that we can do to make Him love us less. It breaks His heart to see anyone outside of abiding in Him and allowing Him to abide in them. But his concern is for everyone His desire is for everyone to turn to Him.

Let’s start a revolution! A revolution to start loving others as God loves us. Let’s stop seeing people for who they are and for who they can be. Not for the sin they are in but for the forgiven person they can be. Not for the color of their skin but for the beautiful creation they are in the sight of God.

When you don’t know what to do Love! When things are hard and you can’t get through Love!

Rant over!