Friday Faithfuls Two: Jonah

 Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi

Jonah.  If ever there was a real-world servant of God, it's Jonah.  He ran from his instructions, repented, but obeyed with a grudging, judgmental attitude, got mad at God when he felt like God made him look foolish, and then got even angrier when God took away a small blessing he had provided.

Jonah just didn't get the whole grace thing, really.  Even though God's grace was applied to HIM in the fish's belly and he was grateful for it.  I rather suspect that if Jonah hadn't repented, um, God would have allowed the natural progression to have its way and called someone up from the bench, so to speak, to take his word to Nineveh. 

But Jonah DID repent...and that's important.  There are those who take their rebellion to the grave, even at the end, angry at God who required them to do something repugnant.  Like...call him Lord and choose obedience.

But Jonah wasn't perfect even after that.  How typical is it of humans imperfectly following God...we rejoice when He delivers us, but pout when the next thing doesn't go our way.  

In my quick little skim through the short four chapters of Jonah, I picked a verse from his prayer of repentance and thanksgiving in chapter 2.  I just kept reading, though, to check off the box.

And hit another verse a bit down the page that hit me even harder.  

Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.  -- Jon. 2:8

The first thing that occurred to me as I read that is...grace CAN be forfeited.  That's worth a ponder.  God's grace is available to everyone but...it can be forfeited.  Unclaimed.  

The second thing that struck me is the action that forfeits God's grace is...clinging to worthless idols.

Choosing to serve something...anything...instead of him.  Choosing to honor and worship something...anything...before him.

We have to be pretty determined in order to confront our personal idols. 

But which is better...holding on to that concept/ political stance/ status symbol/ social media followers/ etc etc etc....or letting go and receiving God's grace, which is already available and waiting?

It's your call.