Thought for April 11, 2024

•  1814: Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba
• 1868: Shogunate abolished in Japan
• 1900: Navy acquires first modern submarine--USS Holland
• 1966: Sinatra records "Strangers in the Night"
• 1968: LBJ signs the 1968 Civil Rights Act
• Born: James Parkinson [first description of Parkinson's Disease], Charles Evans Hughes [Supreme Court], Dean Acheson, Oleg Cassini, Ethel Kennedy, Joel Grey, 
• Died: Kurt Vonnegut, Jonathan Winters, James Anthony Bailey [Barnum & Bailey], Erskine Caldwell, 

Thought:

Well, I have reached the Minor Prophet Jonah today. Jonah was the son of Amittai, which means "truthful" or "faithful." Interesting that Jonah's father would be called faithful when Jonah ran from the command of the Lord. Jonah and his father are also mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25 as being servants and prophets during the reign of Uzziah [Azariah] and Jeroboam II [Israel]. Apparently, Jonah had spoken for the Lord and prophesied about future good times for Judah. He was a popular prophet. 

Jonah's name means "dove," but he was really a hawk when it came to Assyria--he hated the Assyrians, feard the Assyrians and wanted nothing good for Assyria. Sounds like Larry--I want to be known as a Christian, a good person--but lurking inside is that fleshly Larry who is capable of impatience, anger, hatred, vengeance. Lord, help me submit to You and die to self.

Reading these first 2 verses of chapter 1 this morning. Here is what I see:

• The word of the Lord came to Jonah. [1:1] Stop right there and think with me. When does the word of the Lord come to you? Do you read the Bible and the word comes to you? But what I read requires me to change, so I move on to another passage. I pray, but try to talk the whole time so that God cannot speak to me--He might want me to change. A  sermon, a hymn, a friend's words bring the word of the Lord to me--do I hear, do I allow the word to work in my heart and mind? Think about what a blessing it is that the God of creation has a word especially for me and you. If you do nothing else today, listen for the word of the Lord--He is speaking. 
• God sees our wickedness and wants us to confess and repent. God in heaven saw what was going on in Nineveh. Nineveh was the capital of Assyria and the largest city in the world at the time. It was built on the Tigris on the other side of the river from Mosul. It had libraries, temples, palaces, irrigation canals, and a mighty wall several chariots wide. Nineveh was built by Nimrod, son of Ham, son of Noah. According to Genesis 10, Nimrod was a mighty hunter and built Babel and Nineveh. When God saw the wickedness in Nineveh, He could have simply destroyed it like Sodom. But in His grace, God called on His servant Jonah to confront the city with its sin. Today, I may see a nation of evil and wonder why God doesn’t destroy it. Maybe in His grace and mercy, God is sending someone to proclaim Christ and call people to salvation.
• God gives simple commands. Look at 1:2. God is very simple and direct--arise, go, and warn. Notice what God doesn't say. God does not give details; He gives those to us when we need them. Today, I don't think God's commands are different--certainly the Great Commission is this simple as well. Arise---sometimes I need to be told to stop sitting and get up and get going. Sitting I get comfortable, content, satisfied with my circumstances. There are many days when someone just needs to tell me to get up and get going. Go---here God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh. This was probably the last thing Jonah wanted to hear. Don't like those people; don't want to walk 550 miles; got better things to do, important things even some are for Your kingdom. Have you noticed, God uses where He sends us to teach us something. Warn---Jonah was told to announce judgment for the wickedness of Nineveh. Jonah should have been happy--I get to tell them that God is going to destroy them for their wickedness. But Jonah had a fear--the people of Nineveh might confess and repent. Have you ever been so mad with someone that you did not want them to say they were sorry because you enjoyed hating them and thinking bad thoughts about them. Okay, its only me.

Today, I am thinking about the very simple commands from the word of the Lord. Love God with everything in you, love your neighbor as yourself. Do good to those that mistreat you. Make disciples. The word of God has come to us--like Jonah we need to decide how we will respond. 

Blessings

Larry