Wednesday, February 24, 2016

But the Lord provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.    Jonah 1:17

Thought:

Let’s get this straight.  The people of Ninevah, to which Jonah is being sent as preacher, are not of the family of the Hebrews.  They are not even distant cousins.  They are, OH NO, foreigners, aliens, not us, THEM.

Jonah had no desire to help them.  They are not of the family of God.  They are pagans and Gentiles.  And so, despite God’s word, Jonah tries to get out of this assignment.  BUT, well, you know the story, a really large fish gets Jonah’s attention, and Jonah goes as he has been assigned, to preach to the people at Ninevah.

As we journey through this season of Lent we will encounter those who are other, not like us, not of our family of faith.  And we might go out of our way to avoid them.  But God has a way of getting our attention, and calling us to share what is in our hearts and what we believe.  At whom might you smile?  For whom might you hold open a door?  With whom might you share these devotions?  How might you share God’s love.  I welcome your engagement in that question because there might be someone waiting to hear your story who might turn, with interest, to investigate this God you love.  Go, unlike Jonah, with joy, and see what God will do.