Jonah

Jonah 1-3

My Summary: Jonah receives a call from God to go to Nineveh to tell the people to repent. "Jonah was torn between his loyalty to God and the whip of his emotions." (Sperry, Voice of Israel's Prophet, pp. 328-29.) Rebellion arose in Jonah's heart and he fled. (Perhaps he thought God would just send someone else to Nineveh and all would be forgiven and forgotten.) But God had many more lessons for Jonah to learn (and by extension, for us to learn.) So he boards a ship for Tarshish, a storm arises, the sailors fear for their lives, Jonah tells them he has disobeyed God and that they should throw him over, they resist until they see that they are about to die, they toss Jonah overboard, a large fish swallows Jonah, Jonah is in the fish for three days where upon Jonah repents and prays for forgiveness and help, the fish vomits him out on the shore, Jonah continues to Nineveh, he calls the people to repentance, they repent, Jonah is pouty that the Lord doesn't punish them, God teaches Jonah a few more lessons by making living conditions for Jonah very uncomfortable, one of the lessons is that every soul is worth saving.

My Word: Kids love this story! I see the same weaknesses in my own character as Jonah had. Some things I would rather not be asked to do. Let's not even think about how small I can be when it comes to what I think other people have brought on themselves. (I try to change these thoughts quickly when I become aware of where I allow them to stray!)

ASSINGMENT: Acknowledge your responsibilities, don't avoid them or run from them. Remember Jonah when you feel the urge to 'run/avoid'. Pray for strength. Read Mark 9:14-29 especially verses 23 and 24. I "know" some things but at times I still doubt....that's when I ask..."help thou mine unbelief". (FYI... see the little symbol after verses 2, 11, 14, etc. - that is the symbol of a "thought change". Pay attention to those instead of reading a chapter as one long event and the scriptures will make more sense.) If you keep getting the same experiences in life, you are not learning the correct lesson....ask Heavenly Father what you are suppose to learn and then make adjustments.

While you are clicking around the scriptures see if you can find out why Jonah was reluctant to go to Nineveh. HINT: Assyria