JONAH IN AMERICA

JJ Daniel, Washington

 

Anyone who was raised in church, or has been in church very long – has heard or read the story of “Jonah and the big fish.”  We might think that Jonah created the word “rebellion.” But when rereading the account of Jonah’s story – I noticed that pride was the big issue in his life; we all know that “…pride comes before destruction.”

 

Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, because He knew God, and knew that if he went there and preached repentance – they would repent, and God would change His plans to destroy them. Jonah REALLY didn’t like these people!! 

 

Three days and nights inside a fish – might tend to bring change!  Ya think? There he was, in total darkness, all wrapped up in seaweed, surrounded by dead fish and other sea-creatures; and the smell must have been terrible! The worse part of this whole story is that Jonah had no fellowship with, and had not heard from God since the day He told him to go to Nineveh.  Certainly his situation was “worse then death!”

 

When Jonah repents – God speaks to him again, and says the same thing that He said the last time He spoke to him. Then He immediately freed Jonah from the ‘prison’ he was in.

 

     (Ever have that happen? I find that God seldom repeats Himself. He tells us to do            something – then He waits for us to obey Him. When we’ve done that – He’ll speak         again. I think that disobedience is the fastest way to end up in a wilderness, not           hearing from God, not experiencing His presence or His blessings.)

 

Jonah finally agrees to go to Nineveh and preach repentance. The entire city repented and decided to serve Jonah’s God. Jonah goes outside the city and sits down to pout! Now we clearly see that pride had a place in his heart, paraphrased: “See… I KNEW You’d do that!!  I told them that You were going to destroy them - now what will they say about me… that what I predict will not happen!?”  Jonah cared more about his reputation than he did about these 120,000 people. He even cared more about a dead plant than he did those people! He wanted God to destroy them – so he would be right in the eyes of man.  How sad!

 

     (And notice: God didn’t give up on Jonah! Even with the pride and rebellion running            around in Jonah’s life, even after he deliberately disobeyed God - His love and mercy     still reached to him! He even grew a bush to protect Jonah from the sun, and to use             as a teaching-aid.)

 

America is a Nation founded on godly principals, but today she resembles any other ungodly Nation. If God were looking for a Nation to destroy because of sin – He certainly has cause to destroy America.  However, He said in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray, and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal there land.” THERE IS STILL HOPE… for America, for your Country, for the entire world!

 

God’s love for mankind reaches to the farthest corners of the world, and to the worse sinner. His compassion and mercy is poured out every day, even to those that you… and Jonah would like to see dead.

 

America has many of God’s people preaching the message of repentance, and the love of God. Thousands are praying for revival, and crying out for more of Him… for all of Him that we can handle. God still lives in America, He still loves His creation, His mercy is greater than we can comprehend – He will continue to bless America, and to send “Jonahs” to preach the message of repentance!

 

God bless America!

God bless your Country!

God bless you, as you walk in obedience to all that God has given you to do.

 

Shalom! SHINE ON!

 

JJ daniel

 

 

 

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