“Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.” Jonah 2:8
A forfeit is no fun for anyone. A win without the competition is a hollow victory, and a loss without the struggle is frustrating and empty. A forfeit is giving up without trying and giving in without fighting. If we have the choice, we’d rather not forfeit in sports, so why do we do so with our souls? “Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.”
Whom did Jonah have in mind when he made such a declaration? The heathens of Nineveh? The boys on the boat ? Or himself? I think all three. The Ninevites needed to let go of Ishtar worship. The sailors needed to grab hold of a powerful God. And Jonah—the one who had clung to his wants over God’s wishes finally realized God’s grace and was amazed. Michael Jackson wasn’t the only one talking to the man in the mirror; the application fit Jonah’s reflection—and ours.
Many are the idols in our lives which need to be toppled. Many are the deities that need to come down. Though are homes don’t boast icons and statues, our hearts find room for emotions and affections which crowd out Christ and His gifts of grace. Oh, we’re not counting on our idols for eternal salvation—we know better than that, but we want to hold them tightly with one hand while God holds our other hand close in His. We cling to power, significance, stuff, comfort, abilities, influence, money, our rights, our relationships, and our desires. On their own, all are worthless and will result in nothing that lasts very long. Only when we let go of ourselves and cling to Him will we discover the rich treasure of grace God longs to give.
Nobody wins when you forfeit grace, and much is lost when you won’t let go. Life, though busy and occupied, is hollow, frustrating, and empty. Stop clinging to what’s worthless, and grab hold of the God who is worthy—with both hands and all your heart.
Don’t give up grace.
Grace never gives up on you.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Prayer Places
“From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord.” Jonah 2:1
Prayers for help have risen from many places—foxholes, delivery rooms, and math class, to name a few, but perhaps the least likely location might still be the belly of a whale. However, the slim chance of the spot didn’t curb the passion of the plea. “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.” This was no ordinary, perfunctory prayer. No oft-repeated platitudes were offered. No “religious-sounding so I will sound religious” phrases were articulated. This prayer was not fake or formal but was the most bona-fide bellow for help God had heard in a while—and certainly in Jonah’s history.
“In my distress I called to the Lord…from the depths of the grave I called for help”(Jonah 2:2). As he sank to the “roots of the mountains,” with water at his throat and seaweed wrapped around his head(Jonah 2:5), Jonah’s prayer rose to heaven, and God heard. “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry…You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God.”
We should always pray(“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17), but often we opt for other alternatives. So much around us distracts us and deceives us into thinking that we don’t need God’s help or that we don’t need to heed God’s Word. Out of habit (and the hope of appearing holy), we still send up the usual comments of gratitude and occasional requests to get what we want. As long as all is smooth sailing, our prayers tend to stay rather shallow. Sometimes it takes the depths of the sea to reach the depths of our souls.
So when you find yourself sinking, feeling like you’re about to drown and about to die, don’t hesitate to call to the Lord. In grace, He won’t close His ears because you’ve been complacent but will hear and will help.
Prayers from the belly come straight from the heart, but don’t wait until you’re in deep to pray with depth.
You need God on top of the water, too.
Prayers for help have risen from many places—foxholes, delivery rooms, and math class, to name a few, but perhaps the least likely location might still be the belly of a whale. However, the slim chance of the spot didn’t curb the passion of the plea. “From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.” This was no ordinary, perfunctory prayer. No oft-repeated platitudes were offered. No “religious-sounding so I will sound religious” phrases were articulated. This prayer was not fake or formal but was the most bona-fide bellow for help God had heard in a while—and certainly in Jonah’s history.
“In my distress I called to the Lord…from the depths of the grave I called for help”(Jonah 2:2). As he sank to the “roots of the mountains,” with water at his throat and seaweed wrapped around his head(Jonah 2:5), Jonah’s prayer rose to heaven, and God heard. “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and you listened to my cry…You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God.”
We should always pray(“Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thess. 5:17), but often we opt for other alternatives. So much around us distracts us and deceives us into thinking that we don’t need God’s help or that we don’t need to heed God’s Word. Out of habit (and the hope of appearing holy), we still send up the usual comments of gratitude and occasional requests to get what we want. As long as all is smooth sailing, our prayers tend to stay rather shallow. Sometimes it takes the depths of the sea to reach the depths of our souls.
So when you find yourself sinking, feeling like you’re about to drown and about to die, don’t hesitate to call to the Lord. In grace, He won’t close His ears because you’ve been complacent but will hear and will help.
Prayers from the belly come straight from the heart, but don’t wait until you’re in deep to pray with depth.
You need God on top of the water, too.
The Gulp of Grace
“The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17
“My bad,” Jonah admitted as the raging sea rocked the ship. “Throw me overboard and the storm will be over.” Seeking an alternative to such drastic measures, the crew tried rowing to shore, but the waves grew wilder with each stroke. In terrified desperation, they asked God not to hold them guilty and then tossed Jonah in. At the sound of his splash, the storm stopped, the sailors worshipped, and Jonah sank. But not for long. “The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”
Sounds like a story you’d find on the fiction aisle, but since we have it on ultimate authority that such was so(Jesus, Matt. 12:40), we know it’s true. There really was a ship. There really was a storm. There really was a fish so big it sucked down a wayward prophet. And there really is a grace so great it can stomach all our sin.
Just when we’re sailing over the rail thinking we’re done with, just when we splash into the chilling reality that we truly do deserve the deep, we find ourselves swallowed up in a gulp of grace. The belly of the whale (or whatever the fish) was God’s provision of safety and salvation. Though Jonah had little room to move, the stillness silenced his struggle, and in the darkness he saw the light. The accommodations of grace aren’t always comfortable, but as Jonah would assure you, digestion is preferable to drowning.
When sin sends you sailing overboard, grace is waiting in the water. Don’t sink the ship trying to save yourself.
Only God can do that.
“My bad,” Jonah admitted as the raging sea rocked the ship. “Throw me overboard and the storm will be over.” Seeking an alternative to such drastic measures, the crew tried rowing to shore, but the waves grew wilder with each stroke. In terrified desperation, they asked God not to hold them guilty and then tossed Jonah in. At the sound of his splash, the storm stopped, the sailors worshipped, and Jonah sank. But not for long. “The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.”
Sounds like a story you’d find on the fiction aisle, but since we have it on ultimate authority that such was so(Jesus, Matt. 12:40), we know it’s true. There really was a ship. There really was a storm. There really was a fish so big it sucked down a wayward prophet. And there really is a grace so great it can stomach all our sin.
Just when we’re sailing over the rail thinking we’re done with, just when we splash into the chilling reality that we truly do deserve the deep, we find ourselves swallowed up in a gulp of grace. The belly of the whale (or whatever the fish) was God’s provision of safety and salvation. Though Jonah had little room to move, the stillness silenced his struggle, and in the darkness he saw the light. The accommodations of grace aren’t always comfortable, but as Jonah would assure you, digestion is preferable to drowning.
When sin sends you sailing overboard, grace is waiting in the water. Don’t sink the ship trying to save yourself.
Only God can do that.
The Gift of the Storm
“Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.” Jonah1:4
As Jonah, unhappy and unhumble, headed for Tarshish, God stirred the sea and sent a storm—a bad one. Scared for their lives, the sailors tossed the cargo and cried to their gods. As the ship tossed and tumbled, Jonah slept deeply down below until the captain dragged him out of bed and demanded that he pray. With all hands on deck, the ones on board rolled dice to find out who caused this calamity, and the lot fell on Jonah. “Who are you and what have you done?” the crew demanded, so Jonah divulged, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land…Jonah had already told them he was running away from the Lord”(Jonah 1:9-10).
Smooth sailing to Tarshish might have been easier, but a storm was the fastest and most effective way to get Jonah back on track. Though no one thought so at the time, the storm was a gift—a present of grace to remind Jonah of God’s presence and God’s purpose. The rocking ship and rolling waves brought Jonah face to face with who he was and who God is. “I am a Hebrew,” he told the sailors—a chosen child of God for whom He had a great plan and a great purpose. Such grace is not without responsibility, and the pounding waves made Jonah admit that he was running from his calling. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land,” he testified in the tempest, implying that the One above had created it all and controlled it all—even the storm.
We don’t like to think that God causes storms, but He does—not all of them, but some. Often we stir the sea ourselves by sin and selfishness, but there are times when, in His grace, God is the one who sends the wind. We are His chosen children for whom He has a great plan and a great purpose, and He won’t let us get away without making waves. The gift of the storm brings us face to face with who we are and who God is. Don’t hide-out below. Get on deck and let life’s toss and tumble turn your eyes and your heart back to God. Testify in the tempest that He is God and He is good.
The storm we think is our demise is often our deliverance.
We might have smooth sailing if God cared less, but we would never end up where we need to be.
As Jonah, unhappy and unhumble, headed for Tarshish, God stirred the sea and sent a storm—a bad one. Scared for their lives, the sailors tossed the cargo and cried to their gods. As the ship tossed and tumbled, Jonah slept deeply down below until the captain dragged him out of bed and demanded that he pray. With all hands on deck, the ones on board rolled dice to find out who caused this calamity, and the lot fell on Jonah. “Who are you and what have you done?” the crew demanded, so Jonah divulged, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land…Jonah had already told them he was running away from the Lord”(Jonah 1:9-10).
Smooth sailing to Tarshish might have been easier, but a storm was the fastest and most effective way to get Jonah back on track. Though no one thought so at the time, the storm was a gift—a present of grace to remind Jonah of God’s presence and God’s purpose. The rocking ship and rolling waves brought Jonah face to face with who he was and who God is. “I am a Hebrew,” he told the sailors—a chosen child of God for whom He had a great plan and a great purpose. Such grace is not without responsibility, and the pounding waves made Jonah admit that he was running from his calling. “I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land,” he testified in the tempest, implying that the One above had created it all and controlled it all—even the storm.
We don’t like to think that God causes storms, but He does—not all of them, but some. Often we stir the sea ourselves by sin and selfishness, but there are times when, in His grace, God is the one who sends the wind. We are His chosen children for whom He has a great plan and a great purpose, and He won’t let us get away without making waves. The gift of the storm brings us face to face with who we are and who God is. Don’t hide-out below. Get on deck and let life’s toss and tumble turn your eyes and your heart back to God. Testify in the tempest that He is God and He is good.
The storm we think is our demise is often our deliverance.
We might have smooth sailing if God cared less, but we would never end up where we need to be.
Wanna Get Away?
“But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.” Jonah 1:3
Wanna get away? Jonah did—from God, as fast as possible, so he bought a ticket and headed for Tarshish. Surely in a land so far from home, God would leave him alone. But He didn’t. In fact, Jonah never even made it to his destination. God stirred up a storm, and Jonah ended up overboard. More on that another day, but for now, here’s what’s nice to know: when we’re at our worst, God is still with us. He loves us too much to leave us alone.
We all feel like running sometimes. Obedience can be a bother. No truthful soul ever pretended or purported that staying strong and staying straight is easy. Going with God against the grain of culture, our companions, and our own cravings wears us down and wears us out. Though we know God is great (and right), we often, like Jonah, don’t desire to follow His ways and obey His wishes. We feel that life would be simpler and more like we’d like it, if God would just leave us alone and let us go—at least for a little bit. And so we run, perhaps not changing our location but changing our allegiance. We choose ourselves over God.
But He’s still there. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast”(Psalm 139:7-10). Even if we wanna get away, we can’t. Even when we’re at our worst, He’s with us.
You are loved by a God who will not let you go. Though you kick, scream, sulk, pout, and give Him the silent treatment, God still holds you close. “You are all around me. You are behind me and in front of me. You hold me in your power” (Psalm 139:5). We should obey, for He is our King. We could obey, for He is our strength. But when we choose not to obey, He doesn’t leave us alone, for He is our Salvation.
Nothing you do will ever change God’s heart about you, but you might change your mind about running when you realize how much you are loved.
Wanna get away? Jonah did—from God, as fast as possible, so he bought a ticket and headed for Tarshish. Surely in a land so far from home, God would leave him alone. But He didn’t. In fact, Jonah never even made it to his destination. God stirred up a storm, and Jonah ended up overboard. More on that another day, but for now, here’s what’s nice to know: when we’re at our worst, God is still with us. He loves us too much to leave us alone.
We all feel like running sometimes. Obedience can be a bother. No truthful soul ever pretended or purported that staying strong and staying straight is easy. Going with God against the grain of culture, our companions, and our own cravings wears us down and wears us out. Though we know God is great (and right), we often, like Jonah, don’t desire to follow His ways and obey His wishes. We feel that life would be simpler and more like we’d like it, if God would just leave us alone and let us go—at least for a little bit. And so we run, perhaps not changing our location but changing our allegiance. We choose ourselves over God.
But He’s still there. “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast”(Psalm 139:7-10). Even if we wanna get away, we can’t. Even when we’re at our worst, He’s with us.
You are loved by a God who will not let you go. Though you kick, scream, sulk, pout, and give Him the silent treatment, God still holds you close. “You are all around me. You are behind me and in front of me. You hold me in your power” (Psalm 139:5). We should obey, for He is our King. We could obey, for He is our strength. But when we choose not to obey, He doesn’t leave us alone, for He is our Salvation.
Nothing you do will ever change God’s heart about you, but you might change your mind about running when you realize how much you are loved.
The Place For Grace
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” Jonah 1:1-2
Location. Location. Location. The problem wasn’t the “what”—“Go and preach” was standard fare for a prophet. The problem was the “where.” Nineveh. God didn’t send Jonah to nice neighbors down the street but across the tracks (over 500 miles across the tracks) to rude, crude, and socially unacceptable foreigners. “The great city of Nineveh” wasn’t great because it was good but because it was big. Nineveh was infamous for its cruelty, violence, and idolatry. “Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims” (Nahum 3:1). Even God had noticed. “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But why didn’t Jonah want to go? Not because of the bad news but because of the good news. Jonah wasn’t hesitant to preach God’s wrath, but he was hoping God wouldn’t show grace (Jonah 4:1-2). Jonah didn’t want those who didn’t like his country and who hadn’t cared about his God to escape the calamity they deserved. He wanted them to go down and go down hard. If the people in Nineveh never had a chance to repent, God wouldn’t have reason to relent, so Jonah ran away.
Before you act appalled, swallow hard. You may not have packed your bags and bought a ticket, but most of us have felt the same. Atrocities and injustices perpetrated by others onto us, those we care about, or those we hear about cause us to desire their downfall and hope for their ruin. They deserve to hurt. They should feel the pain. They surely shouldn’t be set free. In an effort to punish as we think best, we withhold our love and God’s grace.
I’m not speaking of societal justice. Courts, juries, and judgments are all God’s ideas. I’m talking to our hearts—to the hidden parts of our souls hanging onto resentment, bitterness, and anger caused by cruelness, betrayal, and lies. Yes, you have reason for revenge, and, no, they don’t deserve a do-over, but withholding the chance for change will send you places you shouldn’t go. Just because what they did was bad, doesn’t mean you’re better. We all sin in different ways, and our failures always affect others.
Since God met us where we were, we must reach out to others where they are. We can’t pick and choose the place for grace. We might not like the location, but God knows we both have a lot to learn about His love.
Location. Location. Location. The problem wasn’t the “what”—“Go and preach” was standard fare for a prophet. The problem was the “where.” Nineveh. God didn’t send Jonah to nice neighbors down the street but across the tracks (over 500 miles across the tracks) to rude, crude, and socially unacceptable foreigners. “The great city of Nineveh” wasn’t great because it was good but because it was big. Nineveh was infamous for its cruelty, violence, and idolatry. “Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims” (Nahum 3:1). Even God had noticed. “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
But why didn’t Jonah want to go? Not because of the bad news but because of the good news. Jonah wasn’t hesitant to preach God’s wrath, but he was hoping God wouldn’t show grace (Jonah 4:1-2). Jonah didn’t want those who didn’t like his country and who hadn’t cared about his God to escape the calamity they deserved. He wanted them to go down and go down hard. If the people in Nineveh never had a chance to repent, God wouldn’t have reason to relent, so Jonah ran away.
Before you act appalled, swallow hard. You may not have packed your bags and bought a ticket, but most of us have felt the same. Atrocities and injustices perpetrated by others onto us, those we care about, or those we hear about cause us to desire their downfall and hope for their ruin. They deserve to hurt. They should feel the pain. They surely shouldn’t be set free. In an effort to punish as we think best, we withhold our love and God’s grace.
I’m not speaking of societal justice. Courts, juries, and judgments are all God’s ideas. I’m talking to our hearts—to the hidden parts of our souls hanging onto resentment, bitterness, and anger caused by cruelness, betrayal, and lies. Yes, you have reason for revenge, and, no, they don’t deserve a do-over, but withholding the chance for change will send you places you shouldn’t go. Just because what they did was bad, doesn’t mean you’re better. We all sin in different ways, and our failures always affect others.
Since God met us where we were, we must reach out to others where they are. We can’t pick and choose the place for grace. We might not like the location, but God knows we both have a lot to learn about His love.
The Word of the Lord
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh.’” Jonah 1:1
Each adventure has a beginning, and ours started when God spoke. “And God said, ‘Let there be light…sky…land…plants…stars…fish…and animals. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…and let them rule over earth’s creation’”(Gen 1). God’s word gave us somewhere to live, someone to love, and something to do—all we need for the now of life.
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh.’” Jonah’s story started when God spoke. He was God’s man who had received God’s message. The treasure of the word of the Lord had been entrusted to Jonah, and over the next few weeks, we’ll consider his reaction and response. But it all began with listening.
In our world today, many speak a lot but say little. Televisions, computers, and cell phones chatter and clamor for our attention and action. Through the wonders of technology, we are constantly bombarded with words, and we must choose wisely. But unlike the prophets of old, we are not required to wait for a vision or revelation to receive the most valuable words – the word of the Lord. God continually speaks to His children through His Spirit, our circumstances, and the Scripture. God has bound His words in leather, hard-back, and paperback and graciously placed them in our homes and our hands.
At this time of resolution, or hopefully at least reflection, consider focusing first on the One who matters most. Working out, losing weight, and managing time and money are beneficial and important in the new year, but as Paul reminded Timothy, “Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”(1 Tim 4:8). Godliness begins by listening to God, by hearing what He has to say, and by turning down or tuning out the many others.
Let the Word of the Lord be the loudest voice you hear this year—and the one you listen to the most. Each adventure has a beginning, and yours began when God spoke.
Each adventure has a beginning, and ours started when God spoke. “And God said, ‘Let there be light…sky…land…plants…stars…fish…and animals. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image…and let them rule over earth’s creation’”(Gen 1). God’s word gave us somewhere to live, someone to love, and something to do—all we need for the now of life.
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh.’” Jonah’s story started when God spoke. He was God’s man who had received God’s message. The treasure of the word of the Lord had been entrusted to Jonah, and over the next few weeks, we’ll consider his reaction and response. But it all began with listening.
In our world today, many speak a lot but say little. Televisions, computers, and cell phones chatter and clamor for our attention and action. Through the wonders of technology, we are constantly bombarded with words, and we must choose wisely. But unlike the prophets of old, we are not required to wait for a vision or revelation to receive the most valuable words – the word of the Lord. God continually speaks to His children through His Spirit, our circumstances, and the Scripture. God has bound His words in leather, hard-back, and paperback and graciously placed them in our homes and our hands.
At this time of resolution, or hopefully at least reflection, consider focusing first on the One who matters most. Working out, losing weight, and managing time and money are beneficial and important in the new year, but as Paul reminded Timothy, “Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”(1 Tim 4:8). Godliness begins by listening to God, by hearing what He has to say, and by turning down or tuning out the many others.
Let the Word of the Lord be the loudest voice you hear this year—and the one you listen to the most. Each adventure has a beginning, and yours began when God spoke.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)