Thought for February 16

 History:

  • 309: Pamphilius of Caesarea is beheaded for his Christian faith; he trained Eusebius, the first notable church historian
  • 600: Pope Gregory decrees that "God Bless You" is the correct response to a sneeze
  • 1857: Gallaudet University for the Deaf forms in Washington DC
  • 1883: "Ladies Home Journal" begins publication
  • 1911: "Rise Up O Men of God" by William Merrill is published
  • 1923: King Tut's burial chamber opened by Howard Carter
  • 1945: US forces land on Corregidor
  • 1950: "What's My Line" premiers
  • 1959: Castro becomes Prime Minister of Cuba
  • 1968: Elvis receives a gold record for "How Great Thou Art"
  • 1984: Scott Hamilton wins Olympic Gold
  • 1985: Hezbollah founded
  • 2019: Archbishop of Washington is the first Cardinal removed for sexual abuse of minors
  • Born: Charles Russell [Jehovah's Witnesses], Edgar Bergen [Charley McCarthy], Hugh Beaumont [Leave it to Beaver], Anna Mae Hays [First female General in US military], Vera-Ellen ["White Christmas"], Sonny Bono, Carl Icahn, LaVar Burton, Ice-T, John McEnroe, Jerome Bettis
  • Died: William Masters [Maasters & Johnson]
Thought:
Yesterday, we looked at Jonah 1:1-3 where the Lord spoke to Jonah and he tried to run from the presence of the Lord. Having been thrown into the sea, swallowed by the whale and vomited up on dry land, Jonah responds differently when the Lord speaks again in 3:1-3. 

Ever have that experience. The Lord spoke to you, you ignored or ran or disobeyed. Then you found yourself in a storm, feeling like you were drowning and going to die. Things didn't work out for you. You discovered that His way is always better. I certainly had that experience with parents. They would tell me what to do, I would do it my way and certainly not their way, and I would fail miserably. Then they would say, "if you had just done it the way we said to." Or maybe you have said that to a child who ignored your advice. 

But although Jonah now goes to Nineveh and proclaims God's message, he has a bad attitude about it. He does not go with joy and enthusiasm, he goes begrudgingly and reluctantly. In  fact Jonah got angry that God spared the people who repented. [4:1] This morning, God is reminding me that my attitude means something. Do I follow Him joyfully, do I obey freely and without hesitancy. Do I hold a grudge against God? Do I get mad when God doesn't do things my way and in my timing? Jonah's message had saved thousands of people from God's wrath [120,000], yet Jonah was mad. 

God convicts me as I read this story again today--Larry, when I speak, respond with joy that your Master trusts you with an assignment. Respond with joy because God has asked you to be a part of His plan. 

Blessings
Larry

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