A storm, a great fish, some sackcloth, and a hungry worm: The story of Jonah (Part 3)

For the month of August we are looking at the book of Jonah. Today we will study Jonah 3.

from fcnewburgh.com

Read: Jonah 3

Jonah finally brings his message to Nineveh. And even though you weren’t around to hear it, you’ve seen Jonah’s style of work. You’ve seen it on an angry picketer’s flimsy cardboard sign: “Repent or perish!” You’ve seen it along the highway, stretched anonymously over an advertising billboard: “Avoid hell, trust Jesus!”

Jonah was that guy. His half-hearted message to the people of Nineveh had about as much love in it as a pitbull has for a squirrel. And yet, after only one day of listening to one of the worst sermons ever preached, the entire city of Nineveh was unbelievably transformed. The people believed God and repented, even the king.

The only thing Jonah had going for him in his “service” to the Lord was obedience. His response-time was slow. His attitude was bad. His delivery was uncaring. Yet despite Jonah’s approach, the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of the people and God showed incredible mercy.

Fifth lesson of Jonah: God can use even the most half-hearted service.

Sixth lesson of Jonah: God is merciful (to the Ninevites, to Jonah, and to us).

Dear God, I am embarrassed of my mediocre service to You. Help me to learn Your heart. Make me quick to obey. Give me love for Your people. Change my attitude to be more like Yours. And thank you so much for including me in Your work. Amen.

Further readings: Matthew 9:10-13; Micah 6:6-8; Psalm 85

 

 

 

A storm, a great fish, some sackcloth, and a hungry worm: The story of Jonah (Part 2)

For the month of August we are looking at the book of Jonah. Today we will study Jonah 2.

from fcnewburgh.com

Read: Jonah 2

Last we left Jonah, he survived the storm but is now trapped inside a smelly fish belly. As much as he would rather have died than obey God, God had other plans.

from mdchurch.us

Chapter 2 is the prayer that Jonah prayed when he realized he couldn’t ditch God. It’s not a perfect prayer. (Once you know the whole story of Jonah, you’ll see why.) But God doesn’t mind our imperfect prayers. In fact, He asks for them.

Jonah starts by summarizing his day. “There was a pretty big storm. I’m guessing that was from You, God. I ended up drowning. That sucked pretty bad. I thought for sure You were sending me away forever. But now I realize You were actually saving me. Thank you, I guess.”

Philip Yancey in his book, Prayer, talks about how prayer is really just keeping company with God. We keep company with God by talking with Him. We share with Him all of ourselves – our hopes, our dreams, our thanks, our requests, our complaints, everything. Then in turn, we find out more of who He is and what His plans are for us and for those around us.

Jonah’s prayer reveals everything about his day and shows what he’s learning about God. The prayer concludes with the great fish vomiting Jonah onto dry land. For most people, being fish vomit might be a low. But for Jonah, it’s a second chance to learn God’s will. And not only to learn God’s will, but to learn more about the very heart of God.

Third lesson of Jonah: Keep company with God.

Fourth lesson of Jonah: He promises to hear you…and you may even learn a few things along the way.

Dear God, I seem to pray best when I am at my lowest. Help me keep company with you every day, not just when things are rough. Teach me Your ways and Your heart, oh God of my salvation. Amen.

Further readings: Matthew 11:28-30; Philippians 4:6-7; Psalm 145:18-19

 

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A storm, a great fish, some sackcloth, and a hungry worm: The story of Jonah (Part 1)

Hello again! I was on vacation for two weeks and have missed our Monday mornings together. It’s good to be back.

For the month of August we will study Jonah. The book of Jonah contains four chapters, so we will study a chapter a week. This week we will start with Jonah 1.

from fcnewburgh.com

Read: Jonah 1

Even when you try to ditch God, His purpose is still accomplished. That should make you feel either relieved or scared to death.

Jonah is the only prophet to try and ditch God. He ends up accomplishing God’s task for him (sort of). But he really only accomplishes it by the pure grace of God Himself. He’s a perfect hero for the likes of us.

I love this story because first of all, God doesn’t allow himself to be ditched. The storm and the great fish make that very clear. And second of all, God turns Jonah’s humiliating situation into a witness for God’s glory.

The mariners that were taking Jonah across the sea were not believers. When the storm arose and they saw the ship was about to break into pieces, they each cried out to their own gods. That only made the storm worse. Finally, they realized Jonah was to blame. But even then, they didn’t want to hurt him.

But Jonah convinced them to begrudgingly throw him into the sea. The moment Jonah hit the water, the raging storm ceased. And those terrified mariners feared the Lord, offered sacrifices to Him, and committed themselves to God.

First lesson of Jonah: You cannot hide from God.

Second lesson of Jonah: God accomplishes His purposes with or without you…and sometimes He drags you along kicking and screaming.

Dear God, I know You can accomplish Your will without me, but I want to be a willing part of Your plans, both for me and for those around me. Help me to resist the urge to ditch You when I am afraid. Give me the strength to follow You even when the task is hard. Amen.

Further readings: Psalm 65:5-8; Luke 19:37-40; Isaiah 46:8-11; Isaiah 55:11

 

 

 

To stone or not to stone

*The following devotional was inspired by bestselling speaker and writer, Liz Curtis Higgs, who I had the great fortune of hearing speak this past weekend at the Northwestern Christian Writers Conference.

Reading for today: John 8:1-11

by Larry Eubanks

The law only required two or three witnesses to charge an offender. They wanted the whole town to see.

In a case like this, both the transgressing man and woman should be brought forward. They only brought the woman.

“Teacher,” the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus, “this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such a woman. So what do you say?”

If Jesus had answered, “Stone her,” then all his teachings on mercy and grace go out the door.

If Jesus had answered, “Don’t stone her,” he discredits the Law of Moses and himself.

So what does Jesus do?

As the crowd watches silently and the disgraced woman waits fearfully, Jesus stoops down to write in the dirt. What did he write?

Some people say that a judge would write down his sentence before pronouncing it. Or maybe he was simply diverting the eyes of the people, saving the humiliated woman from their condemning stares. Maybe he was giving everyone time to think. Whatever he was writing, it took awhile because those around him had to keep asking for a verdict.

Instead of a verdict, Jesus called the question. “Let him who is without sin, be the first to throw a stone.” Silence. Nothing but the sound of unused stones dropping to the ground. Then, one by one and without a word, they walked away, convicted.

The only one who was without sin, the only one who had the right to condemn the woman, Jesus stood quietly before her. And he without a stone in his hand.

Dear God, How is it that You have not condemned me? In my shame and in my disgrace, You offer me forgiveness, hope, and salvation. Give me the power to accept Your grace and to go and sin no more. Amen.

Day 2 – John 3:16-17

Day 3 – Romans 8:1-6

Day 4 – Romans 3:22-24

Day 5 – 1 John 2:15-17

 

Broken Pieces

Reading for today: Romans 8:28

Retrieved from elizabethhagen.com

Every summer my parents, sister, and I would crowd into our small car and head south from New Hampshire to visit family. After the first few hours we would be sweaty and grumpy, drinking ice water from a thermos to keep cool.

I remember when my parents finally bought a car with air conditioning, a sky blue Dodge Spirit. We were excited to hit the road that summer. Unfortunately, by the time we crossed the Massachusetts border, we heard a loud crunch and dad noticed in the rear-view mirror that something had fallen out of the bottom of the car.

He pulled over, grabbed the pieces of our car, and prayed the car would start. It did. But the air conditioning we were anticipating never came on again.

Nine hot, sweaty, and grumpier than usual hours later, we arrived at my grandparents’ home. My dad drove the broken car to the nearest mechanic.

The mechanic asked my father what seemed to be the problem. My dad replied, “I’m not sure, but I think these have something to do with it.” He laid the broken pieces of his car on the counter.

The mechanic laughed, recognizing the pieces. He fixed our car and we had air conditioning from then on.

While life can be full of joy, it can also be full of broken pieces. When you break down, don’t forget to grab the pieces. Bring them straight to God. Lay them on His counter. He’ll recognize the pieces and know exactly how to fix them, but usually in ways you never expected.

Dear God, I am broken in this area:________________________. I need you to put my pieces back together. Fix it, Lord. Make me new. Show me the good you have intended for my life. Amen.

As you meditate on God’s power of redemption, listen to Ellie Holcomb’s testimony and song, The Broken Beautiful.

Day 2 – Psalm 51:10-12

Day 3 – Psalm 34:17-19

Day 4 – Psalm 147:3

Day 5 – 2 Corinthians 4:6-10

 

Watermelon for Life

The following devotion was inspired by excerpts taken from a sermon preached by my husband entitled Released (7/2/17).

Reading for today: John 12:23-24

The Bible uses the image of a seed to describe a lot of things. For example, the seeds in the parable of the sower is the Word of God (Mt 13). In the parable of the weeds, the seeds are the followers of God (Mt 13). Jesus compares faith and the kingdom of heaven to a mustard seed (Mt 17 and 13). And in the book of John, Jesus refers to himself as the wheat seed that must die in order to produce a great harvest.

When we talk about seeds sometimes we refer to them as being dead or alive, that is how we describe their potential for growth. When we use the terms dead or alive, we are actually talking about whether or not those seeds are viable.

Take for example the average American watermelon. One healthy watermelon can produce 200 to 800 new seeds. In other words, one viable watermelon seed has the potential to sprout and grow and bear fruit for 200 to 800 more watermelons!

The truth, though, is that in the process of sprouting, a watermelon seed (like any other seed) must “die” or sacrifice itself, in order to become a fruit-bearing plant.

During the last week of Jesus’s life, he explains to the disciples the importance of his upcoming death by comparing himself to a wheat seed. He says in John, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Jesus was the ultimate viable seed. He produced a harvest of many seeds. Through his death and resurrection, he forever shed the binding shell of sin and death, releasing us to also be viable seeds for the kingdom of God. We are not only the fresh produce of Christ’s bountiful harvest, but we are also the viable seeds, ready to bear fruit for God.

This week lets read through those references to seed and learn more about our spiritual growing process.

Dear God, Thank you for planting the seeds of faith and Your Word into me. Lord, make me viable for your kingdom. Show me who I can care for today. Amen.

Day 2 – Matthew 13:1-9; 18-23 (Parable of the sower)

Day 3 – Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43 (Parable of the weeds)

Day 4 – Matthew 13:31-32 (Parable of the mustard seed)

Day 5 – Matthew 17:14-21 (Faith like a mustard seed)

 

Near to the brokenhearted

Reading for today: Psalm 51

“God’s true nature is to love people who are troubled, have mercy on those who are brokenhearted, forgive those who have fallen, and refresh those who are exhausted” (Martin Luther).

 

I used to facilitate an outreach program aimed at caring for international mothers and their children. Amazing volunteers worked alongside me to care for the mental health, physical, and spiritual needs of these under-served women and children.

I’ll never forget, one of the women, Alice, articulated our mission in this way: These women don’t need to be told that they are sinners, these women need to be told that they are loved.

Alice said this because as Christians we have a tendency to go to the broken, the lost, the hurting, and the lonely of this world and hand them the law. We do it to ourselves as well.

But Christ’s mission was to go to those who already felt the pain and weight of the law and offer them His mercy, His love, His forgiveness, His hope, and His righteousness.

God does not despise the brokenhearted. In fact, He takes our brokenness and fills it completely with His grace and forgiveness. He upholds us with His Spirit. And He wraps us up in His arms, forever holding onto us with His love.

“None of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned” (Psalm 34:22).

Dear God, Thank You for Your unbelievable love. Please forgive me for thinking that I need to be righteous in order for You to be a Savior. Deliver me from my loneliness, from my despair, from my broken heart, from my afflictions, and from my sins. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.

Music is a powerful form of worship. Click on the following link to worship our Savior through the music of Elevation Worship – O Come to the Altar.

Day 2 – Psalm 34

Day 3 – 1 Corinthians 1:27-31; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Day 4 – Luke 18:9-14

Day 5 – Philippians 4:4-7

 

It Is Well

Reading for today: Matthew 8:23-27

Jesus Calms the Storm by Laura James

One of the most difficult times for my family was the recent death of my mother-in-law, Cheryl. She died just a few years ago of a progressive cancer called multiple myeloma. The time between a proper diagnosis of her disease and her final breath was about 56 days.

Raging winds, crashing waves, and a swamped boat. Cheryl’s struggle with cancer was a massive storm for our family.

When you or your loved ones are in the middle of a powerful storm, that storm will begin to make you feel as though God is no longer in control, even if you are a seasoned Christian.

In our reading for today, the disciples knew firsthand, as seasoned fishermen, the destructive power of a great storm. Their fear tells us how bad the storm they faced really was.

Yet, even more powerful than the storm, was the voice of Jesus as he stood and rebuked the wind and the waves. The moment he spoke, the storm disappeared and was replaced by a “great calm” (v.26).

While it may not always seem as though God is in control, always remember and be comforted that the winds and the waves must obey Him.

Although God did not stop the storm inside Cheryl’s body, God calls me to trust in His sovereignty and in His timing. He calls me to faith and He reminds me that I have nothing to fear because He is in control.

Dear God, the storm I face right now is ___________________. Please speak truth into my life. If it is Your will, please rebuke this storm. If it is not Your will, give me the faith to trust in Your sovereignty and take away my fear. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

During that agonizing and confusing time of Cheryl’s death, our church music team in St. Louis performed a song one Sunday morning entitled “It Is Well” (Bethel Music). One particular line of the song is: “So let it go my soul and trust in Him. The waves and wind still know His name.” God used this song to speak His comfort into my soul. Click on the link below to use this song as a prayer.

Bethel Music “It Is Well”

This week we will read one more account of Jesus literally calming a storm. We will also read through a few comforting Psalms.

Day 2 – Mark 6:45-51

Day 3 – Psalm 46

Day 4 – Psalm 89:8-9

Day 5 – Psalm 62

God’s Wedding Plans: Part 3 – The Plans

Reading for today: Revelation 19:6-9

“And I will betroth you to me forever…” ~ Hosea 2:19

I worked my college summers at a camp, spending evenings around the campfire, singing songs like Shout to the Lord, Shine Jesus Shine, Light the Fire, and Awesome God.

One of my favorites was Jesus, Lover of My Soul. It’s a beautiful song by Hillsong based on Psalm 40. It’s an easy song to learn, with repeating lyrics, so I brought it with me to Taiwan to teach my English Bible study students.

One of the pastors heard the song and asked me not to teach it to the students. He argued that calling Jesus a “lover” was racy and irreverent.

There is no doubt that the word “lover” has some baggage. But the Bible clearly depicts God as a relentless, pursuing lover. Excluding this kind of intimate, covenantal love, limits our understanding of the depth and multidimensionality of God’s love for us.

Through the 15 years of marriage to my lover, God has graciously taught me more about His unbelievable steadfast love and faithfulness. And I am still learning.

In love, God pursues us, He proposes to us an everlasting covenant, and He promises us the ultimate wedding feast to come.

On that great day, when we stand like a bride in front of the church, we will no longer rely on faith to carry us through to God’s kingdom. On that day, we will see, we will feel, and we will experience the full measure of God’s perfect love for us…forever.

Dear God, Give me the faith to believe your great love for me. Give me the strength to love You and others as You have first and always loved me. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Toby and I at our wedding feast (Aug 2002)

There is nothing like a good piece of wedding cake (or in my case, good wedding pie), shared at a happy, wedding feast.

God is preparing the ultimate wedding cake and feast for us. He promises that Jesus will one day come again to sweep His bride (the church) off her worn and weary feet and bring her to the greatest wedding feast ever.

Read through some of God’s wedding plans this week.

Day 2 – John 14:1-6

Day 3 – Hosea 2:16,18-20; Isaiah 25:6-9

Day 4 – Luke 14:15-24

Day 5 – Psalm 23

God’s Wedding Plans: Part 2 – The Proposal

Reading for today: Ephesians 5:25-33

“…the Lord loves you…” ~ Deuteronomy 7:8

The night Toby asked me to marry him, I had no idea that he was about to propose. We went for a walk along the beaches of Kaohshiung, Taiwan. It could have been a romantic walk except that it was late at night and pitch dark.

As we walked down to the beach, a pack of wild dogs had congregated, making me increasingly nervous. On the other side of the beach, bang! Bang! Pow! A gang of drunken men were suddenly setting firecrackers off over the ocean.

As I fearfully searched for Toby’s hand in the dark, I stumbled backward over him. He had gotten down on one knee and was holding a ring out to me. I was so surprised. But because it was dark, I couldn’t see the ring. I kept asking, “Is this real? Is this for real?”

“Yes!” he assured me, laughing. “This is for real!”

Like Toby’s proposal in the dark, God is proposing to us. He loves us. He relentlessly pursues us. And in the middle of our darkness, surrounded by uncertainty, He reaches out and offers to completely commit Himself to us forever… for real.

Dear God, I can’t believe that you want to commit to me. Thank you for reaching into my darkness with your amazing light. God, make me committed to you. Make me worthy of Your great love and give me the power to reach into the darkness of those around me. Amen.

God committed Himself to His people from the very beginning. Read through the passages below to learn more about His loving commitment to us. Note: Even though these passages are speaking to followers thousands of years ago, know that it applies to us today.

Day 2 – Deuteronomy 7:6-9

Day 3 – Jeremiah 29:11-14; 31:31-34

Day 4 – John 17:6-23

Day 5 – 1 Corinthians 13