Lori's Blog

The End of the World
Skeeter Davis   -  1964

Why does the sun go on shining
Why does the sea rush to shore
Don’t they know it’s the end of the world
‘Cause you don’t love me any more

Why do the birds go on singing
Why do the stars glow above
Don’t they know it’s the end of the world
It ended when I lost your love

I wake up in the morning and I wonder
Why everything’s the same as it was
I can’t understand, no, I can’t understand
How life goes on the way it does

Why does my heart go on beating
Why do these eyes of mine cry
Don’t they know it’s the end of the world
It ended when you said goodbye

I was reminded of the words to this song when my young daughter’s friend stumbled onto our doorstep dispondant and confused.   It had been six months already since losing his dad to cancer and everyone was expecting him to have come to grips with his loss.  He hasn’t.  Instead, he feels an intense anger toward those who would seemingly require that he forget and move on.  While all around him life continues on as usual, he is stuck.  And like the song so adequately describes, he doesn’t understand why birds are singing and the stars are glowing, when in his world nothing is sunny.  Just pain and sorrow and heartache.  These same people who were relentless in being there for him during his father’s illness have all but disappeared.  As if to say, “Okay, that’s over.  Let’s get back to normal now”.   For this young man, things will never be “normal” again.

We are funny creatures.  We don’t have time to allow our souls to heal.  We have work to do.  People are counting on us.  So, we find the nearest and most convenient band-aid.  Our self-medicating society makes it too easy to self-manage our emotions, our lives, our minds.  But soon enough the splint breaks and the stitches tear because the wrong antidote was prescribed for the condition.  Again, we find ourselves no further along in our heartbreak than when it all began.

Who is to say the time in which it takes to heal?  Is not healing also in God’s hands as is all things?  We fear one might be sucked into a vortex — a black hole — never to return, if we allow them time to feel, and think, even pull-away.  We accept that busyness and distractions will bring restoration and for a time it may be what is needed.  But ultimately it is the LORD who heals the brokenhearted.  Psalm 34:18 reminds us that, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit”. If you were to read the surrounding verses it talks of all kinds of troubles from which, in time, we will be delivered.  But there is no promise of never having troubles.

And that is my question.  Why are we so intent on living trouble-less, painless lives of ease?  Why do we attempt to set our lives up in such a manner that we think we will escape hardships?  Why do we look for ways to manage our pain rather than looking to the One who can walk with us through our pain?  Especially when we can note that our lives have never been without difficulty and yet we can look back and appraise the faithfulness of God.  The pain and adversity that we once felt and experienced is now bound up in Him.

I at one time aspired to the ideal that “feelings follow action” or “feelings follow will”.  The thought is not entirely wrong but I am now of the deeper understanding that “feelings follow faith”.  Faith is an integral part of action and will.   We all know that we can only “will” ourselves to do something for so long and then our ability to maintain fortitude languishes and the action that we have attempted to set in motion ceases.  To complicate things, our “feelings” now suggest that we are failures.  When this mindset is present we give up entirely believing that there is no use in trying again because the only thing that will be produced is more failure.  And the downward spiral has begun.  Despondency becomes the view in which we see life.  For if all that can be effectuated is failure then there is no hope of change.  “My life will be this way forever”.

In the life of the young man I spoke of earlier, it is bleak.  It would seem  impossible for his heart to mend because he will never have daily interaction with his father again.  His loss is so big that it insinuates that he will “feel” this way forever. But take this same senario and give it the foundation of faith.   Our foundation for faith cannot be obtained from any place other than Truth.  Truth being a person — Jesus Christ.  Therefore, we must look in the pages of His word to form our foundation.

Take Isaiah 61:1 as an example,  “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…” Combine this with the verse quoted earlier that …“the LORD saves those who are crushed in spirit”. Or, Psalm 147: 3, “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”. This is the foundation for faith.  When we take these words and choose to apply them to our thought processes then soon we will notice our “feelings are following faith”.   If faith is “being certain of what we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1) then every time we CHOOSE to filter our feelings through Jesus’ words, we gain a deeper conviction that what God said He would do, He will do and He will do it for me! Every time the pain flairs up we remind ourselves that Jesus will heal this broken heart.   Jesus will heal MY broken heart.   Soon the “pulling myself up by my bootstraps” mentality is replaced by a more solid performance.  The living, breathing, active word of God upon my life.

And the words to that song — well, they’ll no longer make you cry.  Your association will be that of complete understanding of the condition in which they were written — utter despondency and lack of hope.   With a heart of compassion and a desire to come along side that hurting person, you will seek to help heal their broken heart and bind up their wounds.  Showing them that feelings need to follow faith.   For now, your heart has found a resting place.

You would think that after 42 years of attending church, being involved in church, holding leadership positions in the church and, most importantly, knowing Jesus as my Savior for those years I would have a better understanding of His word than I do.
My most recent head-scratching quest for understanding is in regards to divorce.  I personally have lived through my parent’s divorce and remarriage, my sister’s divorce, my brother’s divorce and many of my aunt’s, uncle’s and cousin’s marriages coming apart.  So, I’m not a stranger to it.  In fact, there’s been many times in my own marriage that I thought I wanted a divorce but my interpretation of and belief that when God says he hates divorce,  He means He HATES divorce and therefore it’s not what He wants for His children.  Also, He tells us in Numbers 30:2,  “When a man makes a vow to the Lord or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said”. That seems pretty cut and dry.   Marriage is an oath, a vow, a pledge before God and man that, according to that verse, would obligate oneself to fulfill it.   But because it’s Old Testament maybe it no longer applies.  Sometimes I think we seasoned Christians want to tweak the passage where Paul speaks of Jesus coming to abolish the Law and that we don’t need to concern ourselves with the Levitical edicts.  It’s true we are under Grace rather than the Law but remember, Jesus came to fulfill the law, which in all actuality broadened the law.  It now became a heart issue.  Still free from the penalty the Law brought, but nonetheless sinful beings.  When things go awry, we best check our heart.

Recently some friends of seven or eight years separated and are now divorced.  As like most relationship dissolutions, it seemed for us on the outside, to have happened so quickly.  But we all know it’s never quick.  It’s a slow boil that, if not properly attended to,  finally dries up and leaves the pot empty.   Both tried, I’m sure, the best that they could.  Both, I’m sure, feel they did everything they could.  But where does it leave those of us who struggle in our own marriages but hold fast to the belief that divorce is outside of the will of God?  Why does God allow it for some and not for others?  Or does He allow it?  We know Moses allowed  it “because of the hardness of man’s heart ” (Matt 19:8).  But Jesus says it wasn’t this way in the beginning.  So, my conclusion is God doesn’t allow it but man makes his decision and God let’s him do it.   It’s more like God is giving deference because man is going to do what man wants.

The husband in this no-longer-existent-marriage (in society’s eyes, not God’s) texted me to tell me he had told his ex-wife he was engaged.  Engaged!  after only two months since the finalizing of the divorce!  Okay, okay, I won’t get started on that one.  But that text started a whole texting fury on my part.  I wanted him to know that for many of us this is all so hard to grasp.  “It would seem,” I told him, “that God’s word is different for different people. That I’ve always believed that His standard is THE standard and we either rise to it or we go off to our own “idols” (much like the children of Israel) and we do our own thing.”  We do that which is “right” in our own eyes.  The downfall and ruin  of many Israelite Kings.

I’m just like anyone else.  I don’t like to see anyone suffering or unhappy.   I’ve even thought and said out loud that these two people seemed toxic for each other and would be better off without each other.  And therein may be part of the answer.  “Toxins are poisonous substances capable of causing disease. They must be broken down or excreted before building up to dangerous levels” (Websters Dictionary).  Sin, for the believer, is a toxin, that left in an unrepentant soul will eventually build up to such a dangerous level that it will bring ruin to whatever it touches.  Even death as we’re told in James.   So, wouldn’t it be correct to state that when something takes place that is in direct opposition to the heart and will of God, sin is the motivator?  I believe so.  In a marriage, it takes each spouse individually aligning his or her own life in accordance with God’s word.  Like the oath – each one is responsible for fulfilling his/her own pledge before God.  When this happens there is peace and harmony.  But if the individuals are filled with grievances and refuse to bring them under God’s will, or when hope is lost and they no longer believe God is bigger than the problems in their marriage,  then the marriage will reap what’s being sown.  And the inevitable will happen – death of a marriage.

A pastor’s wife and friend of mine would always quote, “God is more concerned with your character than your comfort”.  Character isn’t proven in conditions of ease and comfort.  It’s proved in the hard times.  The times that require perseverence and trust in the One who sees all, knows all and holds our lives in the palm of His hand.  It’s proved in the times when God’s word doesn’t make sense, or God is taking too long to respond, or when we don’t feel His presence, when we fear He’s forgotten us or it would seem He can’t possibly love us because we’re just too miserable in this current situation!  These are the times we are to let “endurance have its full effect, so that we may be mature and complete. lacking in nothing” James 1:4.  To have difficulties in marriage is just, well, part of the curse.  Wife trying to control husband.  Husband afraid to truly lead wife.  Sin.  But we are to overcome the difficulties and allow them to build character so that we may be worthy of the calling to which God has called us.  To jump ship for any other reason then that which is plainly stated in Scripture is just plain sin.  “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins. “  James 4:17

However, we are not under the Law but under Grace.  God knew before time just how sinful we would be and made provisions for that sinfulness through his Son, Jesus Christ.  He knew we would not meet His standard, nor could we.  So, he gives us that which we don’t deserve.  Freedom to choose how we are going to spend His mercy and grace.   Every time God pours out His kindness upon us, not holding us accountable for the sins we’ve committed, it should draw us to a deeper trust relationship with Him.  That way, when the difficult times come we remember how He brought us through and can with certainty know He will bring us through again.  Or will we choose a momentary happiness and life of comfort over the quiet peaceful confidence God brings when we completely, with resolute confidence, submit ourselves to the commands of God set before us in His word?

There are always two ways:  My way or the High way.  The first is always the wrong way.  The latter, always perfect.  Whose way will you choose?

Some days are really difficult for me, and today is one of those days.  I’m not at peace in my spirit.  There’s no particular reason except that I’m human with human emotions and I fall prey to the unreasonableness of these fallen thoughts and feelings.  I got up early, took my youngest daughter to school and set out to have a productive day.  But something inside started suggesting it’s impossible for me to have a productive day.  That there is nothing of which I do that is of any real significance – so, why bother?  Something (or someone)  suggesting that my failures of past prove exactly who I am and therefore I should hide away.  No one wants to be around someone who has nothing to offer.  The pervasiveness of these untruths keep me from reaching out and calling a friend – even just to go to lunch.  I don’t “feel” like being around anyone.  Besides, to allow someone in, in these secret places of pain, would show me weak and they would know I don’t have it all together.

These thoughts and feelings are not new to me.  And, for some of you reading this, they’re not new to you either.   So many days spent in listlessness longing for the inner core of our being to rise up strong and fearless.  To take hold of that which God says and walk in it.  “Be strong and courageous for the Lord, your God, is with you”.

But the enemy has his game on. The only game the father of lies has to trip us up and keep us from moving forward.   Doubt God.  Doubt what He says.  Doubt that He’s true.  Doubt that He works on our behalf.   And like Eve, in the garden as she listened to the serpent speak in all his audacity,  and believed him rather than believing her Creator, I too, find myself glassy-eyed as if the same tempting fruit is right there before me.  But instead of tasting of it I’m fighting for what I know is true yet bombarded by the untruths making it seemingly impossible to move away.  It’s a fight in the mind.  A battle of my thoughts.  It’s where every battle begins.

With every battle there has to be a plan and an action to that plan.    It’s not enough to say, “I’m not going to think that way”.  Those are words based on self-sufficiency.  As if we ARE the power to overcome.   It’s not even enough to get up and go do something else for that only delays the inevitable.  I tried gardening.  I thought getting out in the sun would help.  Doing something creative would make me feel better about myself.  And, temporarily it did.  But even in this I lacked the necessary energy needed to tackle a garden – a desert garden no less!  Frustration set in to add to my festering pity-party.  No, I am not enough to turn this mind around.

I’ve battled with my flesh and walked with the Lord long enough to know the battle plan and the action to take.  I just have to do it.  Therein lies the difficulty.  Making myself do that which is right.  That which will be beneficial, not only to myself, but to those around me.   That lifting of the boot weighted foot to take the first step is extremely heavy and difficult.  But once I’m in the fight I’m no longer thinking about myself.  I’m focused on what has to be done.

I’m reminded as I read Paul’s exhortations to the church in Pilippi that I am to rejoice in the Lord!  Not find something to rejoice about, but rejoice in Him.  Rejoice about Him.  Throw up my hands and have a party because I am in the Lord.  “The Lord is near.  Don’t be anxious about anything – ANYTHING – but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. “  Or as it says in the Living Bible “His peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus.“  We must have presence of mind when we’re doing battle.  A restless, loud pounding heart gets us into trouble.  Causes us to lose our cool and make poor choices.  We must strive for peace in all things.   It goes on to say, “And finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or priaseworthy — think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me — put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you.” Phillipians 4:4-9

So, when I’m feeling down and out of sorts.  When fears assail me and everything looks bleak.  When I want to stay inside and hide away, it should be a tell-tale sign that I’m not at peace with God.  Like Adam and Eve, who, believing the lies, ate of the forbidden fruit and  gave up their peace with God, I too, hide when I’m believing the lies.

It’s taken my a long time to keep from quickly jumping to the conclusion that there must be some sinful part of me that I haven’t confessed.  It’s always good to ask the Holy Spirit to search us.  But, I’ve also learned that sometimes it’s just the enemy putting the pressure on to doubt God.  You see, he knows if he can get us to doubt God we’ll do the rest.  Just read James 1:14.   Sometimes, it’s just a matter of putting the mind in the right place.  The place of Truth.

He will keep in perfect peace the mind that is stayed on Him.  Isaiah 26:3.

Although, I’d rather think of myself as someone looking to better herself and her relationships with others and with God, I’m really just a self-help junkie.  This has led me on a path to read anything that might get me to where I think I need to be….. Better.  (That, is a whole other discourse I could have with myself)

My latest read is the book, “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan.  I feel I should tell you that I picked up on this one because the staff at my church is going through it as a sort of “team” devotional.  My friend, knowing how much I hate to be out of the know, or possibly even miss out on something, decided to get me a copy.

The author starts out by asking the reader to watch a video entitled the “awe factor”.  It’s intent is to instill the incredible hugeness of our God and leave us silent before our Maker.  While I ascent to how awesome God is, the video itself did not do much for me.  But I kept reading.  There had to be more to this book since so many were commenting on its powerful influence on their lives.  And then, there it was in chapter three, the words that would deeply touch my soul and make me aware of another aspect of the awesomeness of God.  It’s a verse found in Jeremiah.  I’m sure it’s familiar to you.  It’s when God spoke to Jeremiah and told him: 

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  Jeremiah 1:4-5.

At first, I read right past it not giving it much thought.  But then Chan encouraged this reader to stop and chew on it a while.  As I did I was overcome by the thought that before I even existed God knew me and not only that but set me apart for Himself.  Stay with me here.  I’m sure this is nothing new.  In fact, you might be saying, “what’s the big deal?”.  And certainly, God speaks to us about different things at different times.  His word is living, therefore, a passage read many times before can suddenly speak to us as never before.  And, for me, this was one of those times.

Why would God, knowing all that I would do – bring shame to his Name, or worse yet, deny Him, live rebelliously and disobediently, hurt His other children and seek to please myself rather than Him -  why would He still want to  bring me into this world?  We, who have chosen to to make a child thrill at the gestational period, the choosing of a name, decorating the room, and wildly imagining all we are going to do with this child, when in reality we have absolutely no idea what we are getting ourselves into.  In my own family, I’ve been blessed with wonderful, loving, committed-to-Christ children.  I can honestly say that if God had let me see the future of my kids lives thus far, I would have said, “bring them on.  I can’t wait.”  I’ve had very little heartache, or shed very few tears due to my children – except the heartache of them growing up and leaving home, or the tears of joy as they take each new step through life.  It would have been very easy to bring them into my world having foreknowledge.  But what about the parents who aren’t so “blessed” (as we call it)?  Mother’s whose children have done the unthinkables.  Gotten caught up in drugs, prostitution, babies before marriage, or a jail sentence.  I don’t think any of us would sign up for that.  It would be too painful.  Hurt our hearts too deeply.  Tarnish the family name.  And yet, this is exactly what God is saying about us.  That even though He knew that we would do these things, He still wanted us.  He wanted me.  And not only that but set me apart for good works which, again, He tells us, He ”prepared in advance for us to do”  Ephesians 2:10.

I’m humbled to think I was worth it.  And not just me, but everyone who has believed in Jesus as their personal Savior.  Unfortunately, I haven’t always grabbed onto the good works that God has had planned for me.  I hardly think He would use me as an example in His word as he did Jeremiah.  Well, He might, but it would be to tell others how NOT to live and what NOT to do. 

And yet, He is not through with me.  Thanks be to God, He’s not through with me yet.  Because His plan started before I even had an opportunity to choose my own way.  Before God formed me in the womb, He knew me and set me apart.  I can’t thwart His plan for my life.  That is so reassuring.  So comforting.  So Awesome!

“This Do in Remembrance of Me” We know the words well.  We see them etched into the wooden communion table carefully placed at the front of the sanctuary.  We read them in all four of the gospels.  The minister holds each of the elements up and repeats these famous last words of Christ as we respond with somber face, quietness of heart and introspective gaze. But what is it exactly that we are remembering?

When the children of Israel observed the Passover, the purpose was to remember their escape from the oppressive hands of the Egyptians.  The Israelites had been divided all across the land of Egypt and treated as slaves under the rule of Pharoah.  God had sent plague after plague after plague to put fear into the heart of Pharoah in an attempt to cause him to let His people go.  Moses had gone before Pharoah after each plague to plead for their release and the hard-hearted answer of Pharoah would always remain, “no”.

The Lord came to Moses and said, “This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year”.  On the 10^thday of that first month, Passover would become a celebration to the Lord by His people for generations to come. It signified the night the children of Israel would finally be delivered from the hands of Pharoah and be reunited as a people for God.

“Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come”. Exodus 12:17

That night would be a horrific display of God’s rule, reign and power.  God’s people were required to put blood across the door posts of their homes so that the life of each first born in each of those homes was spared.  Conversely, the streets of Egypt would be filled with wailing and heartbreak as members held the bodies of their lifeless first born, whether man or child,  after the passing of God’s final plague.  Passover, for the children of Israel, became the remembrance of God’s protection, of God’s promise, of God’s redemption and of God’s sovereignty.  It ended 430 days of division and separation from God’s rule.  The land of Egypt held nothing of promise for them except slavery and oppression.  God had finally come to their rescue.

Likewise, as we come to the table of the Lord’s Supper, we are remembering what Jesus Christ, the Son of God – the One who came to do His Father’s will – did to rescue us.

Like the blood that was posted above the doors of each Israelite home, Jesus posted his blood over the doorpost of our hearts so that when God looks upon us He sees Jesus has spared us.  Like the death of those first slain Passover lambs, it took the death of the first born – the only born – son of God to rescue us from the enslavement of sin, death and God’s wrath. 

Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!“ Romans 7:23-25

“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”  Galatians 1:3-5 

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14

“. . . wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.” I Thessalonians 1:10

Just like the Israelites of old, we were unable to rescue ourselves. Only a miracle could do it.  Jesus was that miracle.  So, while we wait for His return to this earth for our final rescue, we remember Him.

“When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”  Luke 22:14

“Lord Jesus, we eagerly desire to eat the Passover with you when it is finally fulfilled in the kingdom of God:  When we finally stand before you – our Savior and Rescuer. “  Until then . . .

“This Do in Remembrance of Him”

This week I had the pleasure of leading worship at a pastor’s leadership conference in Oxnard, California.  The beautiful Mandalay Beach Hotel, where we stayed, sits right at the ocean’s edge and is adorned with tropical plants and waterfalls.  It truly felt more like an escape from life than a time of speakers and meetings and breakout sessions.  Amid all the beauty, the music, the brilliancy of the speaker (Mark Bailey, President of Dallas Theological Seminary), I met Jose.

Jose was the concierge at the front desk.  A very warm and inviting man.  Just the type needed for such a position.  He immediately commented on how young I looked in my driver’s license picture and of course any woman my age would eat that type of talk up!  He continued in his flattery toward my friend, Julie, and we  laughed and joked together having a great time.   Suddenly, the laughter stopped and he became very serious.  He had realized we were with a “religious” group.  His first question was about our voting choice.  Were we going to vote for Sarah Palin because we are religious?  As I stood there trying to find the appropriate “spiritual” answer, my friend was much more quick witted and said, “Oh you betcha, but not because I’m religious, I like her hair and her glasses”.   Her response brought me back down to earth and I added, “and she wears lipstick, too!”  We were back to laughing and enjoying each other’s company.  As Jose showed us where our rooms would be and how to get there, he began telling us about the complimentary happy hour every night at 5:30.  But that dang religious stuff got in the way again and he said, “oh but you’re probably not allowed to drink because you’re religious”.  Again, I found myself fumbling for the “right” words.  Julie came back with, “Well, I’m allowed to do whatever I want but some things, I just don’t do, not necessarily because I’m religious”.    He began to tell stories of groups who have come through the hotel so indignant in their rules and regulations.  He even went as far as to say, “it’s usually those one’s who hold their hands up in the air and talk funny”.   Of course, we assured him we were not of that kind and that he should come and listen to our band.  We did prepare him that there would be some talk of God in our music though.  He laughed and said he would come down on his break to listen.   As we left the front desk I was saddened that the religiousity of man has kept this man away from the Truth.  It sounded as if he had run into a few modern day Pharisees. 

 We have been given the greatest gift.  Freedom!  Freedom from man’s opinions and rules.  Freedom from death and sin.  Freedom to be the people God intended for us to be.  Yet, is seems, we can only function within a box or a set of rules.  Don’t get me wrong.  I am the first to admit, I love rules.  They make my life so much easier.  I need my lists, my criteria, my schedule.  In fact, my friends call me the itinerary Nazi due to my relentless planning of a trip or event.  But I’ve gone too far when I begin to force my personal convictions on others - the rights and wrongs that I’ve chosen for myself that are not strictly laid out in Scripture.

It is with love, justice and humility that we will win other to Christ.  Not by giving them another set of rules to live by.  For as it tells us in Colossians, These (rules) are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. 

 I hope Jose saw a difference in me.  I hope Jose saw Jesus.

I just read the book of Jonah. I’ve read it before but this time life experiences and consequences of disobedient choices shed a whole new light on this story of rebellion. Read it for yourself, again.It’s short. It won’t take more than 10 minutes. But this time don’t just read it as a story about some guy who got swallowed by a whale, but think about the others in the story: The guys in the boat; the people to whom Jonah was sent to bring the message of repentance; Try to see from God’s perspective.

If you recall, Jonah was running from God because he did not want to bring salvation to the wicked people of Ninevah. He didn’t think they deserved such hope. They didn’t deserve the grace that he knew his God would pour out upon them if they turned and repented. So, he went in the opposite direction, boarded a boat and went below to sleep. He was probably physically and emotionally spent, as we all are when we fight the call to obedience, for it says, “he fell into a deep sleep”. Such a deep sleep, that, he didn’t feel the storm well up or the boat beginning to break apart. There was no doubt in the minds of the other passengers, however, that someone was responsible for such dire circumstances. When the lots cast fell on Jonah, I was struck by the conviction these men had about the Hebrew God and how He manifests His power, even though they all sought a different god. I was touched by their willingness to give Jonah a chance. Maybe by his confession God would ease up a bit. The last thing they wanted to do was feed Jonah to the sea and live with the guilt of his death. But God had something else planned, and the sailors’ only choice was to throw the runaway overboard. So, overboard he went. And the sea became calm. Amazing! I don’t know about you, but I’ve wanted to yell, “Man overboard” for the chaos other’s have created in my life and I’ve been guilty of causing such commotion for those close to me that they would have had just cause to get rid of me. But that’s not really what this story is about. As in all stories of God’s dealings with His children, it’s not about getting what you deserve, it’s about getting what you don’t deserve – His mercy and His grace. It’s about God’s protection and deliverance. Look what it says about the “big fish”. It says, “The Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights”. That’s what God provided. Isn’t it great?! A fish became Jonah’s protection and the place where God could speak to him. And Jonah prayed.

Jonah’s Prayer

1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. 2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the LORD,
and he answered me.
From the depths of the grave I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.

3 You hurled me into the deep,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.

4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’

5 The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.

6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you brought my life up from the pit,
O LORD my God.

7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, LORD,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.

8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

9 But I, with a song of thanksgiving,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
Salvation comes from the LORD.”

I’m sure that at first, while Jonah was sitting in the dark, seaweed clinging to his body, fish parts and sea creatures floating around him, and the foul smell of the fish’s insides, he didn’t think this was God’s protection. In fact, he probably thought it was what he deserved and that he was going to die right there inside that fish. I’m sure he was scared, and mad! But somewhere in those three days he “woke up” and called out to the LORD and God saved him.

That’s the story of all of our lives. God says, “do this”, we say, “no”, we run and we find ourselves in terrible circumstances. But maybe those terrible circumstances become the protection of God. For some of us it requires getting into a ridiculously difficult situation before we’ll listen to God. Like Jonah. He could have repented when the sailors grabbed him to throw him over. He already knew he was wrong. His ride to shore could have been in the boat with people to talk to and food to eat and laughter, instead of the darkness, the loneliness, and uncertainty of the fish. I think Jonah hated so much what God had asked him to do that he felt he had no choice. He would rather die than go to the people of Ninevah. I’ve been there too (not to Ninevah). Many times I’ve been so angry about what God was telling me to do that, like Jonah, I’ve run. But God…. Oh I love that about Him. But God… never gave up on me. And like Jonah, he brought difficult circumstances to get my attention and bring me back to him. I know I am His by the many times I’ve been vomited up on dry land by the Lord’s command.

And then God says, “Okay, let’s try this again. Lori, go!”