“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass” ( I Thessalonians 5:24).
The story of Jonah about a prophet sent to the city of Nineveh with a call for the people to turn back to God is instructive as then and now. First, it reveals a God who is interested in human affairs. Jonah was picked to warn a nation of impending doom if it did not yield back to Him.
However, the person given the task shuns the idea, preferring to “mind his own business”! How many of us have given God the cold shoulder, yet quite clear it was God calling us!
What happens thereafter is just as revealing. Troubles befell Jonah, but not only him, even those whom he had taken refuge to ( Jonah 1:4-5).
Hereto, we see that Jonah’s disobedience has not only consequences for him but also those around him. One persons disobedience to God can cause grief as well to many other innocent people.
There is a beautiful ending to this story. Ultimately Jonah makes good and returns to the city of Nineveh to call it to repentance. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened” ( Jonah 3:10). All to point out God will not hold anything against us once we return to Him.
Just as it were, there is always someone God is calling to do His work for a time. And just as then any could reject God's call. Because God loves His people He will cause a set of circumstances for that person to yield back to His call. In the case of Jonah it was a severe storm out on the seas. But someone else it is a different storm meant to get one's attention.
Prayer today: Lord father God of creation, as you had to bring a storm for Jonah to turn around and do your will, I pray ever be obedient to your call, and walk in it for your Glory, this I pray in Jesus' name.
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17/05/2024 - 18/05/2024 All day“And I in righteousness I shall see your face; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with seeing your likeness” (Psalm 17:15)
One of the defining aspects we see in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ is that He began the day with prayer. “Very early in the morning while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35). As he was always surrounded by crowds and after such a busy day before of preaching and engaging the Pharisees in debates this must have been a therapeutic moment for Christ when he would have some good time to himself.
But there was also more. For Jesus being away in a secluded place would also mean a chance to pour out His heart to God, meditate in quietness, plan for the day ahead and listen to the Father. Jesus must have looked up to this moment every day knowing its benefits. Conversations with His Father must have been real and intimate, bringing a certain soothing and uplifting of His spirit. You do not wake up and stick to something on a daily basis that is a drag – this must have been his best time of the day!
Martin Luther the leader of the protestant reformation is reputed to once have said, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” Here is the point. In the olden days before the arrival of locomotive transport those who were setting out for a long journey on foot had to start early with the first cock crow before the punishing sun came out. One of the things they had to start with also was a good meal, which was fuel needed to give them energy through the long walk to their destiny.
There are no rules about waking up to pray as first thing- or even saying prayer at a defined hour of the day. God is everywhere and ever with us. He is accessible at any time of the day. But there is something special about prioritizing our lives that the first thing we do is to talk to God. Just like the early traveller we need fuel, for the long day ahead!
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, what a joy and privilege to make time at the start of any day, talk and hear from you, for the power I need through the day, this I pray in Jesus’ name!
