When Things Don't Match Up

I fear the LORD God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land…..and they said to him, “How could you do this?” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he told them. Jonah 1:9,10 (New American Standard Bible)

Let the world know that you are a Christian and they will expect your actions to match what you say. When there is a big difference between what we say and what we do, people will ask us the same question these men asked Jonah, “How could you do this?” It did not make sense to them how Jonah could SAY he feared the LORD and yet BE fleeing from His presence. His words and his actions were polar worlds apart from each other…they were incongruent and dissimilar. This kind of inconsistent living is easy to spot.

The harder cases are those who externally display the life of a Christian but internally their world is falling apart. They have the actions down pat, but their heart is far removed from God. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day come to mind. That is why Jesus always directed the conversation back to their motives, their thoughts, their heart. He called them white-washed sepulchers (graves). In other words, their outward show was beautifully decorated but inwardly there was death and decay. Others may not have been able to detect the contradictory life but Jesus could. God was not fooled! His desire was to help them see the truth about their spiritual condition and allow Him to transform them.

For me, it was having God bring me to the point where I was confronted with my core beliefs of who God was and what my relationship was like with Him. I had the outward things down pat….church attendance, involvement in spiritual activities, sporadic conversations with believers that sounded good. I had my sterling moments as a believer but in the privacy of my own life I carried a secret. I had a wrong view of God that kept me at arms length from Him. I knew Jesus as my Savior but failed to relate with Him on a deep, personal level. My mental assent of God was not sustaining my heart. It was when I finally admitted my own emptiness that I made room for God to fill me with Himself. He taught me how to say, “God, I need You!” His desire has always been that my internal relationship with Him matches my external show. I love the change!

Father, You are remaking me and I marvel at Your work! Amen.

Make It Real - Mark Lowry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-B3IeE9K58

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Personal Preparations

Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah….And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah….But God prepared a worm….and it smote the gourd….God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah. Jonah 1:17; 4:6-8

I can imagine that Jonah had no trouble realizing life was not always under his control. Ever feel like him? God was constantly preparing the events, circumstances, and situations of his life in order to get his attention and redirect his steps. But Jonah kept missing the point. While there seemed to be a revival of sorts for Jonah in the belly of the fish, the end of the story finds him disgruntled, angry, and distant.

It is easy to come to the place where the happenings of our life can leave us feeling more like victims than victors. While Jonah was simply facing the consequences for wrong choices in his life, other Bible characters faced difficulties in spite of right choices. Joseph, from the Old Testament, always comes to mind when I think of someone who suffered at the hands of others. Hated, betrayed, and sold by his own brothers, he spent years in enslavement and prison. Were they wasted? Not at all. They were a time of preparation for God’s promotion in his life as he would one day be second only to Pharaoh in the land of Egypt. Much of his life was painful and did not make sense until the end was revealed. He could finally say with confidence to his brothers, “What you meant for evil, God meant for good!”

I learned a couple of years ago that Scripture is meant to be more than nice stories about people who lived long ago. God wants us to see that He is just as involved, just as loving, and just as present in our lives as He was in Bible times. At any given moment, He is preparing us for what is ahead. He has His hands on us, on our situations, and on our journey. If we keep this in mind it will help counter the wrong thinking of being a victim to others, being stuck in life, and living with no purpose. May we hear Him whisper the same words to us that He said to Jeremiah, “I know the plans that I have for you…plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

Father, I may only be in the middle of the story right now. By faith I look forward to what You had planned for me all along. Amen.

My Life Is In Your Hands - Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir (This was filmed in Louisiana State Penitentiary, better known as "Angola").
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIc_cEH_EPU&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Heading in the Wrong Direction

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:3 (New American Standard Bible)

Jonah’s steps in the wrong direction were many. He purposefully headed away from God, went down to Joppa, found a ship, paid the fare, and boarded the ship to get to Tarshish. The verse begins and ends with the same phrase, “from the presence of the LORD.” At any point along the way, Jonah could have assessed what he was doing, changed his course of action, and headed in the right direction. If you are familiar with this Bible story you know all that transpired before the change came. He made matters worse with each choice he made. All of it could have been avoided had Jonah at any time headed toward God instead of away from Him.

Have you ever seen yourself in the person of Jonah? I certainly have! I find myself making wrong decisions and then proceed to make wrong choices on top of those decisions. Rather than stop at the first wrong step, I (like Jonah) just keep taking the wrong steps….making matters worse. I was in the midst of wrong choices this past weekend and even had my mind made up to make more wrong choices. What stopped me? I knew I would only make matters worse and that would lead to painful consequences. It wouldn’t be a large fish as in Jonah’s case, but it would be something that could easily swallow me up until I was ready to head in the right direction. So I stopped my planning. I stopped my running. I changed my heart and my mind. In essence, I rose to flee but decided to return.

In moments like this I feel like such a boomerang Christian….going the wrong direction and then turning around and heading back. Fortunately for me God is consistent in His love, forgiveness, grace, and mercy. The lessons He is teaching me are difficult and uncomfortable at present. I don’t like the person I continue to be most of the time. I don’t like what others know about me. I don’t like the mistakes I keep making and the slip-ups I keep having. I do, however, take comfort in the fact that God loves me too much to allow me to stay this way. He will go to any length to reach, touch, and change my heart. He will stop at nothing to woo and win me to Himself. He will never give up on me even when I have given Him more than enough reasons to do so.

Father, forgive me for my thoughts and actions. I want to stop running and adding to the wrong choices I have already made. With You all things are possible and I rest in that truth. Amen.

Oh How He Loves Us - Kim Walker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF9uG-zR2Kw&feature=related

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

Clear and Not-So-Clear Directions

The word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah 1:1,2 (New American Standard Bible)

One of the things I see and at times stand envious of in Bible times is God’s direct message to His servants. There was no mistaking God’s call to Jonah. He was hand-picked by God for a specific mission. There was no question as to Who was sending him, where he was to go, and what he was to do. Things are not always so clear cut for us today.

I have listened to missionaries talk of God’s call on their life. At some point, they knew where it was God was sending them. From that time on they moved in that direction. Many times it takes years for them to get to the mission field but the call keeps them on course. Others know the job God would have them take. They sense His leading into certain fields. One thing is sure, once they are in the place of God’s choosing they know they are there.

There are times I want God to do the same for me! I want direction that is clear. Instructions that are understandable. I want to know that I know what He has in mind for me. But I am learning God is not tied into any one system of dealing with us as His beloved children. For some, He spells things out clearly. But for the rest of us we feel more like Abraham who knew to go but had no idea exactly where he was going. His was a daily journey of simply following God moment by moment. We might also feel like Joseph who had dreams (literally) and yet spent years wondering how they would ever come about. His circumstances did not yield proof of what was to come. Talk about a walk of faith!

In March of 2005, God gave me a verse during a time of prayer in the privacy of a motel room. It was 2 Chronicles 25:9b which says, “The LORD has much more to give you than this.” In one aspect, He has continually fulfilled those words in my daily walk with Him. But when I view it in terms of future ministry and service it becomes a test of faith. Like Joseph, my present circumstances yield no proof. I can often feel like the student at the back of the classroom waving my hand and saying, “Pick me” only to be over-looked. How easily I can put that human aspect on God and yet it is not true. He is not over looking me, ignoring me, or placing me on a permanent shelf of inactivity. He has a plan and He has impeccable timing. I may not see all that He is doing or understand His purposes but I can allow Him to develop in me a trust in Him. His Word and His hand are what I hold on to today.

Father, this journey I am on is built on faith in You. Help me to know that You will open the way for me to go. I follow Your lead. Amen.

Make Me a Servant - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rznoe3zKxM

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

When Someone is Running

The LORD hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea so that the ship was about to break up. Jonah 1:4 (New American Standard Bible)

There are times when God will go to great measures to come against our places of comfort, security, or escape. Jonah was in such a place and God’s intervention was evident. In some ways, he reminds me of the prodigal son from the book of Luke. While the father let him go and waited for life to become uncomfortable enough to bring him back home, God was still at work in the background to bring about that change of direction.

Maybe there is someone reading this devotional right now and you have a loved one who is living the life of a Jonah. They are running as fast and as far as they can from what God wants for them. You may be praying for their salvation or you may be praying for their return. As hard as it may be to watch what they are doing to themselves (and possibly to others in their life) be aware God can still control the situations of their life. God is still in the business of bringing about personal famines or storms to redirect their thinking, their steps, and their lives.

So what does a person do in the case of someone they know who is running? First of all, if they are an adult, let them go. Teens and children are still under our care and responsibility. But for an adult, let them go. It will be in the midst of their wandering that God will be able to begin His work. Secondly, pray for God’s intervention in their life. God may use health, He may use finances, He may use discomfort, He may use loss, or any number of other methods that bring about effective change. If someone keeps stepping in and rescuing them, the process gets interrupted and prolonged. God knows what to use to get their attention. The control they think they possess over their life will be challenged by the One who really is in control. Consequences for personal choices really are beneficial. Thirdly, use this time to reevaluate your own life. What are the areas God wishes to redirect in you? God can multi-task very well. As He shows you areas to change, cooperate with Him. And finally, wait! Things may happen quickly or it may take years. Trust that whatever God is doing it is out of a heart of love for you as well as for your loved one.

Father, many hearts this morning ache over the choices loved ones are making. May they know that Your heart aches as well. Give them wisdom to trust You to intervene for their ‘Jonah.’ Amen.

God Will Make a Way - Don Moen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hOjYR8UZT8&NR=1

I welcome your questions and comments to any devotional thoughts. I am honored and delighted to share my journey with you and privileged to hear of yours.

Heading in the Opposite Direction

But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:3 (New American Standard Bible)

As much as I crave God’s clear cut, explicit directions in my life, I stand amazed at Jonah’s reaction. He decides to not only disobey and head in the opposite direction but plans to get as far away as he can. He wants as much space between himself and God’s will as is humanly possible. His blatant disobedience is hard to watch without wincing in my spirit. Yet I know God’s intent for having this story in Scripture is meant to showcase something personally to me this morning. If I allow it to remain on the pages of Scripture and not enter my own heart I am going to miss the personal application that is meant to transform my life.

What is the “Nineveh” God is sending me to on a daily basis? When are the times I am “jumping aboard” to head in the opposite direction of His call? It is not usually in the big areas. This morning God is probing my heart with questions that can feel uncomfortable if I forget His reason for asking them. His desire is always that I allow Him to expose the areas that need His transforming touch. While His questions may be direct and pointed they are asked in a tone of gentleness and love.

So how am I doing at responding to His commands to me? Commands such as: love your enemies, forgive one another, obey your husband, be a keeper at home, share your faith, let your words be gracious, be kind to others, put others before yourself, pray for others, study His Word, be attentive to the needs of others (particularly the poor, widows, and orphans), have the right motives, be patient toward people, etc…. For it is when I refuse to extend my hand to another person or close my heart to one in need that I am being a Jonah. I may find a hundred other things to do rather than the simple thing God is directing me to do but it is at that point that I am finding my own ship to head in my own direction.

Jonah had his reasons for where he was headed and I have my reasons. Part of Christian maturity is aligning my actions and beliefs with the desires of my Father’s heart. Today will reveal whether I am boarding a ship or grasping the hand of my Father in obedience.

Father, You have spoken. Help me to obey in all areas. Amen.

In Pursuit of Us

And the LORD God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. Jonah 4:6 (King James Version)

Today was the first time I have ever read through the book of Jonah and saw God’s pursuit of him. God pursued him in his place of comfort. (chap. 1) He pursued him when he ran. (chap. 2) He pursued him when he repented. (chap. 3) And He pursued him when he retreated in anger. (chap. 4) That is the place of today’s verse. God meets him in his grief and ministers to him.

We so often think of God as One who leaves us in our time of rebellion and anger. And yet David writes in Psalm 139 that no matter where we go, God has us encircled, enclosed, and hemmed in with His right hand on us! The knowledge of that in its entirety was too much for David to fully grasp. Think of it! God remains ever present and ever personal no matter what! This is not to say He approves of our sinful choices or ignores our actions. He does not set aside the sowing and reaping principle nor does He simply ignore our behavior. That would not be loving or wise on His part. But He desires restoration and deliverance for us just as He did for Jonah.

This morning I am reviewing in my mind the many different places I have been where God was still pursuing me. He pursued me as a lost sinner in need of a Savior. He pursued me in my camps of performance and legalism. He pursued me in my pursuit of others. He pursued me in my repentance and brokenness. And presently He pursues me in a time of healing and restoration. Like David, I am unable to grasp the knowledge of it. But God doesn’t expect me to understand it all. He simply desires that I embrace this aspect of Him and live life as a recipient of His mercy, love, and grace. He has promised to finish the work He started in me and I marvel as I see Him doing just that! Undeserving but delighted by it!

As you read this, I don’t know where you are in your walk with Him. You may be closer to Him than you have ever been before or you may be farther from Him than you ever thought you would be. I don’t know which it is but I know this: God is pursuing you every step of the way! He has enclosed you and has His right hand on you if you are His child through faith in Christ. He is not leaving and He is not letting go. He has a vested interest in you! Delight in that truth and own it. Let it sink in!

Father, You have put me in awe once again. The best and worst of me has not distracted, dismayed, or discouraged You from pursuing and wooing me. I cannot wrap my mind around that truth but I open my heart to it! Amen.

Whose Heart Do I Have?

But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry. Jonah 4:1

We often read the story of Jonah and at first draw the wrong conclusion for why he ran. We assume he feared the people of Nineveh or thought himself incapable of carrying out the mission God assigned to him. After all, he was being sent to a people known for their cruelty and godless lives. Given the same assignment some might conclude, “Why go? It is no use. They will never change.” It is easy to fall into the trap of picking and choosing where we want to go and who we want to share the gospel with depending on how we think they will respond. If most people knew someone was definitely going to turn to God they would not be able to go to them quickly enough. But if it seems impossible (given their life style, religious background, or poor reputation) we grow hesitant.

But fear or discouragement are not the reasons for Jonah trying to escape God’s call on his life. It is in the last chapter of Jonah the real reason is given. Following a great city-wide revival that most evangelists and pastors would die for, he storms off enraged that God was compassionate. He would have rather seen no repentance and God’s wrath poured out on this city of 120,000 people than to see grace, compassion, mercy, and loving kindness displayed. Why? Because they were his enemies and the enemies of his nation. He had one thought in mind and that was that God would judge and destroy them. There was no desire for forgiveness, compassion, or mercy. Where they would spend eternity was not his concern.

In recent days I have seen individuals within the body of Christ display the same animosity toward the immigration problems, toward cults and other religions, and toward Iraq. Are there reasons for concern? Yes! Are the actions of individuals and nations wrong? Yes! Should we come against false teaching that leads people astray? Yes! But at the same time let us not forget that souls are at stake. God longs to be compassionate to EVERY person. His desire is for them to come to know Christ and spend eternity with Him….the same as He desired for each of us who know Christ. Do my attitude, words, and actions display God’s heart or Jonah’s heart? While I know it is necessary to protect our country, may I not forget the very souls Christ died for.

Father, give me Your heart! I repent of my Jonah-like tendencies. Amen.

When Others Experience the Storms

For I know that on account of me this great storm has come upon you. Jonah 1:12

It is a difficult thing to face the storms in our life. Consequences for choices we have made can be painful at times. That is the case when we choose to sin and sometimes that is the case when we are striving to do what is right. Jonah was running from God and yet he was not the only one to experience the storm at sea. When confronted with the question as to what they should do, he told his ship companions to throw him into the sea and he gave voice to the bottom line of their predicament. The trouble they were experiencing was on account of him! The price of his choice to disobey God’s command was being paid by himself as well as others.

I think of the many Bible characters who faced hardship because they chose to follow God. The storms of persecution came not only upon them but upon their friends and family members as well. If a father was put in prison for his faith, his family suffered the loss of his presence, protection, and provision. The enemy would be quick to condemn his choices because of the suffering others were experiencing on account of him. In many countries today there is still persecution abounding. What is it like for the one whose passion for Christ has a cost to not only himself but for his family as well? If they do not live under the grace and mercy of a loving heavenly Father, they will very easily second guess their decisions. Watching others suffer because of our personal choices can add extra pain to what we are already experiencing.

This has been the story of my life for the past seven months or so. My husband is facing the darkest and most difficult days of his life as a direct result of choices I made in relationship to my walk with God. It was easier when I was the only one paying the price for my decisions. It is much harder to see him in the midst of the storm. I have no doubt God will bring us out on the other side in complete victory. But I also know the enemy will use every thing he can to get us discouraged, doubtful, and disheartened. Every day I have two choices. I can choose to let God define this time for me or I can choose to let Satan do the defining. I choose what God says!

Father, You are the only Anchor in the midst of this storm. Help us to hold on to You like never before. We seek Your glory, Your honor, and Your deliverance. Amen.

Deliverance From Within

You have brought up my life from the pit, O LORD my God. Jonah 2:6b (New King James Version)

What a proclamation of deliverance! While Jonah’s pit was both that of disobedience and then near death, we too know what it is like to be in a pit. I think of Bible characters whom God brought out of pits. Joseph was in the pit of prison, Moses was in the pit of the wilderness, Ruth was in the pit of widowhood and famine, David was in the pit of adultery, murder, and fear, Paul was in the pit of persecution, etc…

For most of her life, my mother battled the pit of depression. I have known family members who battled (and still do) the pit of alcoholism. I have a friend who battles the pit of loneliness and rejection. Several close friends are presently in the pit of illness. For 30 years I was in a pit of emptiness. These pits are not places in which anyone wants to be. They are uncomfortable, difficult, and lonely. But we have a God who is faithful to deliver!

I find myself wondering about circumstances that some dear people endure and it appears their deliverance may not be seen in this life time. What do I do with this verse in that case? I realize there is still deliverance. God can still deliver them from despair, discouragement, hopelessness, bewilderment, and feelings of abandonment. For I remember that Jonah spoke these words while he was still in the belly of the fish…not when he was standing on solid ground!

What is your plea this morning? If you are lonely, God is present! If you are empty, God is the One who can fill you! If you are afraid, God is the One who comforts! If you are in need of forgiveness, God is the One who invites you to embrace His forgiveness! I find that for most of us, the torments of our internal world far surpass what we are experiencing on the outside. Mental anguish, heartache, regret, loneliness, and fear are not always seen by others but they are what we can find ourselves experiencing.

Jesus still says to each one of us, “Come unto Me and I will give you rest!” While the outward circumstance may continue for a season, I know that I can experience rest and peace of mind even in the midst of any storm. I can proclaim with Jonah that God has delivered me from the pit of my internal world.

Father, Your invitations to me abound! I come to You this morning to find my rest. Amen.

God's Greatest Concern

How is it you are sleeping? Get up, call on your God. Perhaps your God will be concerned about us so that we will not perish. Jonah 1:6

This captain speaks words to Jonah which are a sermon in themselves. If I had to phrase it in my own language I would say, “How can you ignore our plight? If you don’t care, maybe your God does!” Two verses come to mind because of his last statement. I Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you. And John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Both verses become powerful when we slip our own name into them. There is no “perhaps” about it. As a believer, I know to use the word “since” or “because” in front of a statement that refers to God’s concern. God is concerned and God has gone to great lengths to ensure that we do not perish. Where we spend eternity is the deepest concern of God’s heart.

This life is short and full of hardships. The past couple of days with the heartbreaking news of school shootings has caused us all to see that we really do live in a fallen, depraved, cursed world. The present war in Iraq remains a reminder of that as well. Watching loved ones suffer with different forms of disease and illness has a way of filling us with sorrow. Each of us have areas in our life that bring us face to face with pain, loss, and heartache. Taking all of that into account, I am reminded of the words someone spoke which are so true. For those who know Christ, this world is the closest thing to hell they will ever experience. For those who do not know Christ, this world is the closest thing to Heaven they will ever experience.

As believers, we have the privilege of letting others know the truth about what lies beyond this life. Our God does care and He has made a way for us to spend eternity with Him. While He desires that no one will perish, He leaves the choice to each individual. Ultimately we must do the same. Our main task is to live it before them, speak it to them, and allow God to work in their heart. Only He can bring them to the place where they are ready to listen.

Father, help me not to be asleep like Jonah when it comes to souls. May my life and words speak volumes of Your concern for mankind. Amen.