Post by Richard on Apr 19, 2005 8:05:15 GMT -5
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
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Jonah 3:1-10 (NRSV)
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish."
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
_________________________
The LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you."
-- Jonah 3:1 (NRSV)
_________________________
GOD told Jonah to go to Nineveh, a wicked city, and preach a message of repentance and salvation. Jonah refused and ran away on a ship. But the ship encountered a storm, and Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish. After Jonah repented, the fish spat him up on shore. So Jonah preached destruction throughout Nineveh, and the city turned to God.
Jonah's story shows that God is gracious to sinners and to believers. The Ninevites, whose sins were many, were spared judgment, and God sent someone to call them to repentance. This is grace.
Jonah was also shown God's grace. God didn't cast him aside when he disobeyed. God didn't get someone else to do the job. God patiently "came to Jonah a second time" and told him again what he was to do. Jonah was given another chance to obey. This is grace, too.
Can any of us say that we have always been completely faithful and obedient to God? Grace allows us to lift up our heads after we sin, knowing that God will give us another chance.
Prayer: God, we want to obey you always, but we thank you that you are always there to lift us up and give us another chance when we stumble. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Grace gives us a second chance to do what we should have done the first time.
-- Bob La Forge (New Jersey, U.S.A.)
PRAYER FOCUS: Those who ignore God's call
_________________________
Jonah 3:1-10 (NRSV)
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days' walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's walk. And he cried out, "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish."
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
_________________________
The LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you."
-- Jonah 3:1 (NRSV)
_________________________
GOD told Jonah to go to Nineveh, a wicked city, and preach a message of repentance and salvation. Jonah refused and ran away on a ship. But the ship encountered a storm, and Jonah was thrown overboard and swallowed by a great fish. After Jonah repented, the fish spat him up on shore. So Jonah preached destruction throughout Nineveh, and the city turned to God.
Jonah's story shows that God is gracious to sinners and to believers. The Ninevites, whose sins were many, were spared judgment, and God sent someone to call them to repentance. This is grace.
Jonah was also shown God's grace. God didn't cast him aside when he disobeyed. God didn't get someone else to do the job. God patiently "came to Jonah a second time" and told him again what he was to do. Jonah was given another chance to obey. This is grace, too.
Can any of us say that we have always been completely faithful and obedient to God? Grace allows us to lift up our heads after we sin, knowing that God will give us another chance.
Prayer: God, we want to obey you always, but we thank you that you are always there to lift us up and give us another chance when we stumble. Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Grace gives us a second chance to do what we should have done the first time.
-- Bob La Forge (New Jersey, U.S.A.)
PRAYER FOCUS: Those who ignore God's call