Thought for April 20, 2024

  •  1529: The term "protestant" is first applied to the Reformers--Second Diet of Speyer
  • 1611: First known performance of "MacBeth"---Globe Theater
  • 1862: Louis Pasteur completes the first pasteurization test
  • 1898: Spurgeon's London Tabernacle burns
  • 1912: Fenway Park and Tiger Stadium open
  • 1918: The Red Baron [von Richthofen] shoots down his 79th and 80th plane--he dies the next day
  • 1920: Balfour Declaration makes Palestine a British Mandate
  • 1940: 1st electron microscope demonstrated
  • 1967: Tom Seaver wins his first game
  • 1971: Supreme Court upholds busing to achieve racial desegregation
  • 1979: Jimmy Carter attacked by a swamp rabbit
  • 1999: 13 killed and 24 injured at Columbine
  • 2010: Deepwater Horizon explodes killing 11 and causing massive oil slick
  • 2020: Sailing stops due to Covid--last three ships reach port
  • Born: Young Tom Morris [4-time British Open Champ], Adolph Hitler, Lionel Hampton, George Takei [Sulu on "Star Trek"], Ryan O'Neal, Steve Spurrier, Jessica Lang, Luther Vandross, Don Mattingly, Allan Houston
  • Died: George Clinton [1st Vice President to die in office], Bram Stoker, Benny Hill, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, 
Thought:
Finishing my read of Jonah today. Yesterday, I was considering God's question, "do you have good reason to be angry?" in 4:4. Scripture does not record an answer from Jonah to the Lord's question. Jonah simply left town, made a shelter and waited to see what would happen. God told Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh and tell them that destruction was coming. When the people heard this message, they repented. This displeased Jonah  and he prayed for the Lord to take his life. Now, Jonah sits outside town waiting to see if God will answer his prayer. Think about what Jonah is saying--I hate these people so much that I would rather die than see them saved. I don't want to live if they are living. Now I've never come to that place, but then the Lord speaks to me. Have you ever allowed someone's success to take away your joy, cause you to grow angry, make you dissatisfied? Has someone you deem unworthy gotten the promotion, won the game, received praise and you thought evil thoughts, got disgusted, questioned God's plan. Maybe I am more like Jonah than I think.

But the story doesn't end there. The end of the story has a gracious God providing a shade plant for Jonah--and Jonah is not displeased, Jonah is happy [4:6]. But the next day the plant is bitten by the worm and dies and the blazing sun makes Jonah faint and he begs to die. Notice, Jonah says he has good reason to be angry now. And then God speaks--Jonah, the dying of a vine that you did not plant, did not water, did not grow has caused you to mourn with compassion. God asks, "if you are so concerned about the death of that plant, shouldn't I be compassionate about 120,000 people that I created and who are lost." 

At the risk of offending some of you, this story brings to my mind the commercials I see on television. We are shown animals suffering abuse and neglect, animals that may die if someone doesn't come to their aid. We are asked to give monthly to provide for these poor animals, and our hearts are moved. Then we are asked to give and go to reach lost people facing certain death without Christ, and our hearts don't compel us to action. Maybe the Lord is saying to me this morning--where is your compassion for the lost, Larry. I think that's what he was saying to Jonah. 

Blessings
Larry

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