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

 

 

 

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Steps to contentment: Step 2 – Protect

Welcome to week 2 in our study on contentment. Contentment in the biblical sense is peace with God and satisfaction in the circumstances where God has placed you.

Contentment is what we want, but we cannot have contentment without faith. If contentment is that lush, green, fruitful garden, then discontentment is anything that endangers the growth of the garden.

Reading for this week: Luke 10:38-42

Over the summer, the kids and I weeded our overgrown yard for about 20 minutes a day. Even though 20 minutes doesn’t clear much, I have noticed that over time, we have slowly begun to open up the landscape to allow for my husband’s green-thumb creativity. It’s as if the yard finally has some room to breathe.

However, a new problem has made an appearance. Deer. They walk around the yard like they own it, eating anything that looks good. My superbells are chewed down; my new pineberries (a strawberry cultivar that tastes like pineapple) look like thick blades of sporadic grass. As we continue to develop our garden, we now have to research deer resistant plants and build deer fencing around our new vegetable garden. We need to protect what’s growing.

Being content is also a constant battle for turf. The story for today is one of our first encounters with Mary and Martha, two friends of Jesus. Both women are serving Jesus in the story. One is sitting and listening. The other is prepping a meal. I can relate to both women. However, I struggle with this passage because Martha’s service gets a bad rap. When Jesus denies Martha’s plea for help in the kitchen, it seems unfair. My gut response is to say, “Do you know what it takes to serve 13 plus hungry men? Good luck feeding those guys.”

 

Painting by He Qi

There are two problems with Martha’s service, though. The first, Luke says, “Martha was distracted.” And the second, Jesus says, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion and it will not be taken from her.” I love the firmness of Jesus’s response. It will not be taken from her. He is protecting Mary. But he is also protecting Martha from the dangerous assumption that service to God is more important than time with God.

Contentment is only possible with time with God. You can work and work and work in your garden, but if you haven’t spent time protecting it, if you haven’t spent time with the Master Gardener, you will never experience your garden of contentment.

In your pursuit of contentment, you need that valuable time with Him. And that time needs to be protected. Protected from distraction. Protected from worry. Protected from anxiety. And even protected from service. The kind of service that distracts from the very One who is to be served.

Step 2 in the pursuit of contentment: Protect your garden by spending time with the Master Gardener.

Dear Lord, I forget to spend time with You. Please forgive me. Never let my service to You replace spending time with You. Help me to encourage others to spend time with You. Grow my garden of contentment. Amen.

This week, let’s read about the blessings of spending time with God. As you read Day 2 – Psalm 23, take confidence in the fact that when the Lord is your shepherd, when you focus on Him, you realize that you have everything you need. And when you know you have everything you need, that is the beginning of contentment.

Day 2 – Psalm 23

Day 3 – Psalm 37:3-7

Day 4 – Ephesians 3:14-21

Day 5 – Matthew 6:19-21; 25-33

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Priorities

Every once in awhile, it’s good to take a step back and remember your basic priorities as a Christian. I realize the word priorities sounds a bit like your last work evaluation. But in this scenario, I don’t want you to think about your job, I want you to think about your relationship with God and with others.

Reading for today: Colossians 1:9-14, 28-29

Your Christian priorities can basically be broken down into two major areas. The first is our priority towards God. The second is our priority towards others. According to Colossians, our priority towards God is to, first of all, know him and his forgiveness, then to walk in a manner worthy of the redemption he offers. All this we practice within an attitude of thanksgiving.

Our second priority is towards others. We make it our priority to teach others, pray for others, and to ask God for strength, endurance, and patience. All this we practice within an attitude of joy.

But there is also a third priority. And that is the priority that God has placed on himself towards us. None of the above mentioned “priorities” can occur without God’s promise to help. He has qualified us. He has delivered us. He has transferred us out of darkness and into the kingdom of light. And in verse 29, Paul says that as he struggles through his priorities, he does so with God’s “energy that powerfully works within” him.

When all three priorities are acting together, the Christian life wonderfully forms an avenue for the Trinity. Which looks like this: as we grow in our knowledge of God the Father, we accept the forgiveness of Jesus the Son who redeemed us. Then by his Holy Spirit, we are called back to God to be catalysts of change in the lives of those around us.

Dear God, Please help us to get back to basics. Help us to love you and to love others. Amen.

Let’s orientate ourselves back to basic priorities for our Christian walk.

Day 2 – Luke 10:25-37

Day 3 – Mark 12:28-34; Deuteronomy 6:5

Day 4 – Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-21

Day 5 – Philippians 1:19-30

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Richly Blessed

Reading for today: Mark 10:17-27

Office cleaned and trash taken out every night, except last night it was left. Rotisserie chicken on the warming cart, but today they’re all out. It’s your birthday, but this year she forgot to send you a card. An important meeting at work, but a phone call from school reports a child with a fever who needs you.

When you experience a small loss or disturbance (emphasis on the word small) in the things you’ve come to expect, what is your typical response? Is it frustration? Is it anger? Is it pouting? If so, consider taking these inevitable aggravations and using them as opportunities for gratitude.

These small deviations in our regularly scheduled lives are pivotal moments where we can either feel entitled to what was lost. Or we can use the opportunity to recognize a blessing in our lives.

My husband has the habit of making coffee every morning. One morning last week, he didn’t. And I am ashamed to say that I immediately felt frustrated. But as soon as I had that horrible feeling of entitlement, another, more appropriate feeling took its place – gratitude.

Gratitude for a husband who cares for me. Gratitude for a coffee maker and hot coffee. Gratitude for able hands. Gratitude for a life where I am so blessed that the only thing I have to complain about on a Tuesday morning is a lack of hot coffee.

Don’t ever let the abundance of your simple blessings become a source of false entitlement. The moment you begin to feel entitled to your blessings, is the moment you have stopped serving God and have begun to serve yourself.

Your blessings, even the smallest ones, are from God and are to be used for God, not simply for yourself. God gives you his blessings to bless you, yes! But he also gives you blessings to be used to serve him and those he has placed around you. Gratitude, then, is the necessary first step in that process of receiving and using God’s blessings.

Dear God, I have completely taken for granted even my smallest blessings. Give me eyes to see your blessings and wisdom to know how to use them for your glory. I am so unbelievably blessed by you. Make me grateful. Amen.

This week, count your blessings – at least 5 a day. After each blessing counted, think of a possible way to spread that blessing out to someone else.

Further readings on blessings.

Day 2 – Numbers 6:22-27; Psalm 31:19; Malachi 3:10

Day 3 – James 1:14-17

Day 4 – Jeremiah 17:7-8; 1 Peter 3:8-9

Day 5 – Psalm 103

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Reckless Generosity: Part 2

Reading for today: 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

“You will be enriched every way to be generous in every way.” ~ 2 Corinthians 9:11

Last week, I promised you a real-life story of generosity. Just two weekends ago, I had a chance to meet a single mother of two older children who recently had taken in a third child. This child – a good friend of her son’s – was essentially homeless. His mother was having a difficult time, and my new acquaintance and her family decided to invite the friend to live with them until his mother could get her life back in order.

She shared that when their friend came to the house, he had only the clothes on his back and a small box of belongings. Practically nothing. Over the last few weeks, though, she has seen a change come over the boy. As if some of the weight has been lifted off his back.

Because of this one family’s generosity, one destitute student no longer worries about whether or not he will have a place to sleep. He no longer doubts whether he will have dinner. He has clean clothes and heat, warm water and a place to do homework.

What is most amazing about this simple story was the casual way in which my new acquaintance told it. As if to imply that it was no big deal, her taking on another child as a single, working mother of two. She spoke as if it was the most natural and obvious thing to do.

That is reckless generosity. It flows out of this mother and her kids instinctively. It is not only a sign of the deeper faith that drives them, but this generosity will most naturally point those involved back to the generous God whom she and her family serve.

It is in this, that reckless generosity comes full circle. As we recognize and praise God for his rich generosity towards us – because we were poor, we were destitute, we were orphans, and God took us in. It is in this state of gratitude that we take on God’s mission of generosity and happily bring it to the people in our own lives. We learn to be recklessly generous to those God puts in our path. And as we serve those around us, the world takes note. And they want to know more about the generous God who incites his people to live recklessly.

Dear generous Father, You know exactly what we need even before we ask it. Thank you for providing for us. Give us eyes to see those in need and give us hearts to be generous to meet those needs. In everything, to You be the glory. Amen.

This week, let’s dive into the Bible’s definition of generosity. I think you might be surprised at how it differs a bit from the world’s definition.

Day 2: Mark 12:41-44

Day 3: Matthew 5:38-6:4; Matthew 25:35-40

Day 4: James 2:14-18; Proverbs 14:31

Day 5: Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-35

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First in line

Reading for today: Matthew 20:20-28 (The reading is linked here.)

“Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ~ Matthew 20:28

When I was a kid, my family occasionally attended our church’s summer camp. Every evening as the dinner bell would ring, I used to watch the campers race to be the first in line. One of the chief counselors, Pastor Hintze, would sometimes yell out in a booming voice, “The first shall be last and the last shall be first!” And when he did, it was expected that the entire dinner line would about-face, making those who arrived late, the first to eat, and those who had won the coveted first spots in line, the last to eat.

Of course, everyone thought this was either wildly hilarious (those in the back) or grossly unfair (those in the front). And you never knew when Hintze would call out for the switch. But no matter whether he called for it or not, in the end, everyone got to eat.

In our reading for today, two disciples and their mother ask Jesus to be the first in line in his kingdom. An audacious request considering the last thing Jesus had shared with them was his upcoming execution. “Hey Jesus, since you are about ready to die, can we have first dibs on your power?” Essentially, they heard the dinner bell ring and they were racing to the front.

Jesus responded with grace and patience. “Do you think you can handle what I am about to do?” “Absolutely,” they respond. (They had apparently forgotten about Jesus’ prediction of being condemned, mocked, flogged, and executed.) He tells the two men and the rest of his disciples, that they would indeed share in his power. But on his terms.

Jesus’ terms for being great in his kingdom are quite simple: whoever wants to be great, must serve; whoever wants to be first, must serve. The first shall be last and the last shall be first.

Our greatness in God’s kingdom involves putting others before ourselves, serving those around us, and making sure that as we line up, everyone around us has a chance to eat.

Dear God, Thank you for your Son, Jesus, who taught us true greatness. Give us a servant heart. Amen.

 

As you go about your week, think about the following passages and what they say about the definition and purpose of greatness in God’s kingdom. (Click on each passage to read online.)

Day 2: Matthew 18:1-5; 10-14

Day 3: Matthew 19:16-30

Day 4: Matthew 20:1-16

Day 5: 1 Peter 4:7-11

 

 

 

 

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