Reading: Jonah 1
My Verse: "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city,
and call out against it,
for their evil has come up before me" (Jonah 1:2)
So this word or concept is much in our news of late - ethnocentrism.
Here in the wonderful and amazing story of Jonah is this very concept. Jonah decided to run away from You, LORD. He does not want to go to the pagan city You tell him to go to. He is a believer of You, LORD God, yet he does not believe that the Ninevites deserve Your warning, to hear from You, to get the opportunity to turn from their evil ways. He thinks that only the Israelites deserve You!
Love how this story illustrates Your compassion for all of mankind. You care about the Israelis yes, but you also care about the Ninevites who were pagans. You cared about the sailors, who were also pagans - and it is so cool that they came to know You!
"Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly,
and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows" (Jonah 1:16).
There is so much in this story of Your compassion for us. I like how You also show how the sailors, though pagans, still cared about the sanctity of human life - they did not want to throw Jonah overboard to save theirs. It was only when they saw no other way that they did as Jonah told them to do. And in doing that they saw the seas calm and they did not chalk that up to coincidence but believed that it could only be You, LORD God and so they believed! How wonderful is that!
This brings to mind a quote from CS Lewis.
My Verse: "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city,
and call out against it,
for their evil has come up before me" (Jonah 1:2)
So this word or concept is much in our news of late - ethnocentrism.
Here in the wonderful and amazing story of Jonah is this very concept. Jonah decided to run away from You, LORD. He does not want to go to the pagan city You tell him to go to. He is a believer of You, LORD God, yet he does not believe that the Ninevites deserve Your warning, to hear from You, to get the opportunity to turn from their evil ways. He thinks that only the Israelites deserve You!
Love how this story illustrates Your compassion for all of mankind. You care about the Israelis yes, but you also care about the Ninevites who were pagans. You cared about the sailors, who were also pagans - and it is so cool that they came to know You!
"Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly,
and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows" (Jonah 1:16).
There is so much in this story of Your compassion for us. I like how You also show how the sailors, though pagans, still cared about the sanctity of human life - they did not want to throw Jonah overboard to save theirs. It was only when they saw no other way that they did as Jonah told them to do. And in doing that they saw the seas calm and they did not chalk that up to coincidence but believed that it could only be You, LORD God and so they believed! How wonderful is that!
This brings to mind a quote from CS Lewis.
"For you will certainly carry out God's purpose, however you act, but it makes a difference to you whether you serve like Judas or like John."
You allow us to play a part in Your great plan as You did with the sailors and with Jonah. We do have to choice as to how we play that part. And, oh how important to our own end how we go about it!
You are our creator, each and every human being is important to You.
"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." - John 3:16
The "world" includes everyone. You want each and every person to come to You and know Your great love, forgiveness, healing and peace.
Not only do you love us but You want us to love one another.
"Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
There is none other commandment greater than these. -Mark 12:31
You, LORD God are not an ethnocentrist. By commanding us to love one another as much as we love ourselves You are telling us we are not to be ethnocentric either. It is wrong. Jonah was wrong to think this way.
Help our country, LORD God not to let ourselves fall into this wrong way of thinking. Correct our wrong thinking, LORD God. Draw us constantly back to You and Your correct precepts.
"Whoever does not love does not know God,
because God is love" (1 John 4:8).
Ditat Deus - God Enriches!
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