Jonah

Jonah 4.11 “…should not I pity…”

God is not to be manipulated… he will do his will despite our opinions of what’s best

The entire story of Jonah gets me in this one simple fact that is evident throughout the text. Jonah was disobedient because he didn’t like what God was going to do for his sworn enemy. As I think about what this meant for Jonah I realize again this truth that my opinion of what is best is not necessarily what God’s opinion is. Do I think that I can trick God into doing what I think is best? Do I live in anger against God for the ways in which he does his will here on this earth… constantly angry at his mercy shown to certain people and not to others? This is a crucial issue today in the lives of many believers and I have to be humble and say that I wrestle with this too. I cannot escape the fact that I often times would rather God do something different than what he has chosen to bring about. I guess this is the core of our fallen nature… we think we know what’s best… especially when we cannot understand at all the difficulties of life that we are faced with. As we were going through this book yesterday, I was humbled at the thought that I would question what God is doing in my life and in the lives of others. I realized a while ago that even though my desires may be good they can oppose what God says is best… what God is actually doing. I don’t know if any of this really makes sense to me in all totality but the core issue that I must face every moment of every day is whether or not I will abandon myself to trust him as GOD over my life. Will I dare to let go of my will and ask him what he wants and then be willing to accept what comes? Do I try to manipulate God to do what I think he should do… and then do I get angry when things don’t come out the way I wanted them to? This is the core issue behind trust… really accepting what God offers with a heart of rest and peace. I don’t know if I do this well but I want to. I am seeing more and more clearly that he does indeed love us… that he does indeed know what is best for us. I want to dare to believe this… despite my doubts and fears and even the desires I have that are good. I want to abandon myself to trusting his goodness… especially as I look at the cross… how he has proved his great and merciful love to us. Why wouldn’t I trust such a wonderful Savior… such an amazing Creator… such a Redeemer… for that is who Jesus is… that is who my God is.

I don’t know how to practically apply this except to continually rest in the reality of his grace… trusting him as I pray to show me what he wants… to ask boldly and confidently for him to do his will… trusting that whatever is coming in my life is under his great and awesome grasp.