mayfield church of christ

We are SO like Jonah

Posted by Pastor Mark on 23 August 2009 | 0 Comments

Tags: Jonah

You probably wouldn't have realized......but.....Sue and I NEVER really wanted to go to Manila and end up being so attached to these people in the squatter slums over there....We knew all about the school....and had followed it's progress for some years.....We had heard that there was a group going over there in January of 2007....and while we thought that was great...WE didn't want to be a part of it..........But THEN....we were contacted and asked if we would go with that team....and reluctantly... we said....wow...that would be great to experience....

BUT we didn't want to go.....Do you have any idea how PRECIOUS the Christmas holidays are ....the pool....air conditioning...the boat......See...I KNOW that Manila is 105 in the shade.....and we are talking about SLUMS....not 4 star hotels here.......

So we figured that AVOIDANCE was our best option.....we had shown some initial interest....and that was important...we scored the brownie points for that......BUT we never committed to anything.....keep them hanging...that was our aim.......And we figured that if we could just lie low for long enough....the trip would get planned....the closing date for deposits would pass.....and we'd be home free......

So a whole month goes past.....and we manage to steer TOTALLY clear of David and Cherie Snellgrove who spoke here a few weeks ago......And we figured that the holidays were ours.....

Sue and I were on DATE night....at Woolworths.....doing the shopping......sharing a large skim milk spearmint thickshake......which is our sad idea of a good night out....when who do we run into in the MEAT section......Dave Snellgrove......and STRAIGHT away.....he's on us....

I didn't hear from you guys....and I wasn't sure whether you wanted to come to Manila or not....

Ohhhh sorry mate......we just got caught up with other things and forgot all about it....we would have LOVED to have gone......what a shame we missed the closing date.....

And HE says....Well actually....you DIDN'T....I'm going to pay the deposits tomorrow.....

Fair dinkum......BUT...On the inside....I'm going  RATS....what do I do now......

So I say.....OHHHHH....if only we could get our hands on the $3000 for the flights......we'd be in there like a flash.....

Then Dave says.....you don't need the $3000....all we need is a $500 deposit

NOW at THIS point....I thinking.....Give me a BREAK....BUT....I figure I'm OK....because Sue NEVER carries around more than $50 Cash......so I say......HOW MUCH have you got Sue....

And she looks at me......that look...you know the public look.....and she opens her handbag.....and there is $500 cash that she'd just got out of the bank that afternoon to payback some money she'd borrowed from her MOTHER.

FANTASTIC.......WELL......let's just DO it....THIS must be a GOD thing....I said as I handed over the cash.....

And that was it....we were locked in....and that was the beginning of what has been....the most significant experience of my recent life......and what did I spend three days of my time over there doing....in 105 degree heat......WELDING......as if God doesn't have a sense of humour.

NOW....do you begin to SEE any parallels....in this situation.....

Are WE like Jonah or WHAT......In fact I recon I could GUARANTEE that EVERY one of us.....moves through the Jonah Process in some shape or form....at various stages of our lives......in fact I think we visit this process more often than we even recognize.......

See....I think we need to take the KIDS story aspect.....out of Jonah..... I mean....I've STILL got my Jonah book that was given at Sunday School in about Year 3...it's a GREAT story....but for so long I thought the FISH was the star.....but really...the fish has very LITTLE to do with Jonah's story....and what I now see....is that Jonah might have been a MINOR prophet....but he certainly has a MAJOR message that is ABSOLUTELY targeted at EVERY one of us.......and that message has as MUCH significance to our lives today......as it did 1000 years ago....and the REASON for that....is that for WHATEVER reasons.....we continue to move through the Jonah Process...every one of us......with great regularity....and we need to be CONSTANTLY reminded of what God is DOING in this story.....through that process....

So....before we begin to look at this process....let's just come up to speed in the story.....I thought Jono did a great job taking us up to where the fish spits Jonah.... out of it's MOUTH......and Jonah sets of for Ninevah.

He arrives at Ninevah....and this is a big city of about 120,000....and he delivers what I recon....is one of the DULLEST messages possible....he doesn't gloss it...he doesn't dress it.....he simply says.....Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned....that's it.....

BUT this uninspiring message.... has this amazing affect.....they GET it.....they get what he's saying....and they are SO sorry to God......they put on potato sacks and throw ashes on their heads as a sign of how sorry they are.....from the king....to the poorest person....even the cows....everyone.....and they stop eating as a sign of their sincerity.....

Now....here's the thing....I get up here and deliver a lot of messages......and MOST of the time.....I have NO idea....whether it's had ANY impact on your lives or NOT.....if just ONE of you came next Sunday in a potato sack....I would be WRAPPED...cause at least I'd have SOME idea that I'm actually HAVING some affect......and HERE....is 120,000 people in sacks......responding to such a pitiful message.......go figure.

And you'd think that Jonah would be happy......NAH......He's as cranky as.....because he KNEW...that God was a loving and compassionate God....and he KNEW that God wasn't going to wipe out this place......and after ALL he'd been through.....WHY didn't God just let him go on his sailing holiday......and forgive Ninevah anyhow.....

BUT....he figures it's early days yet.....and the people of Ninevah might go back to their old ways....so he goes out of town and sets up camp so he has a great view just in case God DOES wipe out the town.....

But this story is as much about Jonah's heart as it is about the people of Nineveh....and God hasn't finished with Jonah yet.......This is a HOT place.....much like Manila....and God grows up a vine.....overnight to give Jonah some shelter from the sun......and Jonahs pretty happy......just waiting for the big event...nice and comfy under the shade.........but the next day....God sends a WORM......God's bringing out the BIG guns now.....a worm.....which burrows into the vine and kills it.....and to cap things off....then God whips up a hot easterly wind....and poor old Jonah gets heat stroke and finally loses it.....and pretty much tells God....for goodness sake KILL ME NOW....I'd be better off dead.

And at that point......FINALLY God has Jonah in exactly the right position to begin to do some REAL work with him......Storms......Fish......Vomit...You'd think that would have been enough wouldn't you......NO......Then there was the amazing response to his mediocre message to the Ninevites ......Vines.....Worms.....Winds.....It took ALL that....before God had Jonah EXACTLY where he needed him.......and it's about there....that Jonah FINALLY has his AHAHHH moment!

But I don't want to judge Jonah too harshly....because he acted the way WE act ...we are SO like Jonah........So let me just step through this Jonah Process......

First up......God Calls......

And don't think that God has STOPPED calling.....Remember my message from a couple of weeks ago....about Moses....and how God interrupted his life with a burning bush to GET his attention......God STILL tries to get OUR attention.....but sometimes I think it will take an actual BURNING BUSH before we'll realise that it's God......

And then.....even when we have some incling that it's God calling......We Run....

We creatively avoid....we justify......we rationalize.....and we're GOOD at it......

BUT.....God continues to pursue us and continues to TRY and get our attention.......

And sometimes....he has to step it up a level......and the more we try to stick our heads under the pillow.....the more he works at getting our attention......And what I find REALLY interesting....is that sometimes....in our determination to AVOID God's calling.....we sometimes end up putting OTHER people at RISK...like the sailors on that boat with Jonah.......For us...that might be our families....our marriage relationships....our relationships with friends...our church life.......And we do that by shutting down....by opting out.......by saying we are committed to something...but NOT following through......by pushing people away because they remind us of this thing that God is calling us to do.....and in some cases by packing up and walking away.....because we just DON'T want to have to face this THING that God has put before us.....

But like Jonah found out....God is NOT going to leave it at that.......and if HE wants our attention....then he is going to do WHATEVER it takes to get it.....if that means turning our world upside down.....then so be it......

Because at SOME point....God is going to get us to the point where we can do nothing else BUT hear what he's been trying to tell us and DO something about it....and often...that's NOT a nice place to have to be in......

And it's usually in that place....that we eventually stop FIGHTING against God......and start to move WITH him......and it's then.....that amazing things start to happen......that life takes on a whole new direction.....and you'd THINK that that would be GREAT....and that we would continue to move with God in the plans that he has......

But I think we're a bit STUPID......because we SO often DO a Jonah......

We start to move with God.....but we're not satisfied with God's plans.....the outcome is NOT what we wanted.....the rewards are not as great as we thought.....and so we begin to do our OWN thing again.....

And sometimes God has to give us WORMS......and a touch of the wind......to draw us back to the plan....of working with HIM instead of against him....

It's all about perspective really.....isn't it? When things work out how we want them to work out.....everything is fine.....BUT when things don't go according to our plans......life stinks.

But so often.....it's NOT about how WE want things to work out.......

You know....back when I was working with BHP......I had a very strong inkling...this constant prompting in my subconscious.......that God wanted me to be doing something different......but my job was SOOOO good.....I was my own boss.....I was tucked away from everyone.....I had a sit down catered lunch in the staff canteen every day.....and they had the best Lamb's Fry and bacon anywhere......and I didn't want all that to change.....but there was this UNSETTLING in my heart...

And it's only as I look back....that I realize.....that I stuck my heels in....and disregarded that unsettling feeling......and when I did that......the first thing I NOW realize....is that I started to get sick......I started to get a really bad migraines almost every second week....and I was having to miss work.....and I was off to the hospital every time.....but STILL I clung to that situation...and tried to avoid this feeling I had in my heart that I should be doing something else.....

And I'll NEVER forget the day...I got called into my managers office....and he told me that they were RESTRUCTURING my department....and I could either take a retirement offer.....or go and work for BHP Engineering....back on a drawing board......

THAT was my rock bottom.... that was my BELLY of the WHALE......and FINALLY God had me RIGHT where he wanted me.....

And I could do nothing BUT pay attention to him.....

And THEN....I started to move WITH him......and one thing after another began to fall into place.....and I have thought about it so many times.....WHAT IF.....what if I had decided to go to BHP Engineering rather than use that belly of the fish moment to change directions totally.....What might God have done NEXT to get my attention.....and what might I have put Sue and the girls through in the process.....

See...I KNOW.....that if you look back over your life......you will be able to identify SO many situations in your life where you have gone through this Jonah Process......

God calls....you run....God calls again.....you avoid it....God gets serious to get your attention.....you experience your belly of the fish moment.....and God finally has your attention.....You start to move WITH God....but you don't like the plan...or the outcome.....You complain or you try to change it to your plan.....Then there are the worms and the wind......until FINALLY God gets you moving with him again.....

But the trouble is....It's ALL retrospective......those times are fairly easy to see as we look BACK....BUT WHY can't we recognize them when they are HAPPENING......

Wouldn't it be GREAT....if we had the TOOLS to be able to SEE this process for what it is ......and to be able to.....RIGHT back in the early stages......instead of RUNNING from God's plans...... begin to work with them right THEN.......How much grief might we save ourselves??

Perhaps the greatest message of Jonah......is that our God....is a God of second chances...and third chances.......and he WILL persevere with us....regardless of how much we fight against him....

But Jonah also encourages me to want to get BETTER at hearing God in the situations of my life.....to get BETTER at recognizing God's plans for my life....and to NOT have to go through the whole process every time....with me dragging God back and digging in my heels.

To me......the image of .Jonah's belly of the fish.....is of a quiet....uninterrupted place....where the distractions of life are shut out....and God can finally lay out his plans without having to fight for our attention against every other aspect of life........and you know....we can  get BETTER at that.....at allowing God to speak INTO our lives......

If that's the point where things begin to turn around.....then we have to get to that point much sooner......we have to recognize WHEN we are fighting against God....and throw ourselves overboard much sooner....and we DO that....by developing better communicating with God.....learning how to pray to God with an expectant heart....with an open heart.....with NO distractions to stop us from hearing what God has to say....

PRAYER is what turned it all around for Jonah....and PRAYER is what will turn it all around for us.

And you know.....this is a great time to be exercising this process......we have this $10 Challenge in front of us....and each of us are seeking GOD'S plan for how that $10 should be spent.........how it might be multiplied.....and who might be in NEED of a blessing in their lives.

Do you THINK God will be silent on this matter if you seek him out on it? I KNOW he won't. Let's all commit this week......to taking this Jonah process....and getting better at it.....

Father....I think we really struggle with hearing your voice.....and many times perhaps that's why we end up going our own way...and ending up in our belly of the whale situation. Father I pray for a renewed commitment for each person here....to actively seek you out Father....to pray with expectant hears and open minds....

Father help us to get better at this.......and I pray that over this next week Lord....you will really be speaking to each one of us....particularly regarding this $10 challenge. Make us open to your plans I pray....

Amen