Unfortunately most of us know only one thing about the prophet Jonah
and that is that he was swallowed by a big fish!
It is of course a compelling story, but what is it actually about.
Most of us don’t know that Jonah was actually running away from God
nor that God had asked him to go to the roughest toughest place in the world and tell the people to repent
(no wonder he ran away)
When he finally yields to God’s will
he gets annoyed with God
because God accepts the repentance of the Ninevehites
and doesn’t just blast them out of the water!
This repentance is a call to change our ways
As we continue to focus on the call of Jesus
are we like Jonah and running hell for leather in the other direction?
and/or are we also angry that some people seem to get closer to God than we do? Particularly angry that so often it seems they are the ones who don’t deserve it.
The Call to Repent is genuine
This call that we hear to get serious is a genuine one
God is not playing games with us
but are WE playing games with God
The time is short
people need to be healed
Sinners need forgiveness
It is not a call to wait until it is convenient
It is a call to act now.
So we see:
these disciples drop everything and act
those who, like Jonah, run away are pursued by a devouring spirit. The sources of discomfort and disease may well be our own wilfulness
Where am I being invited to act, and to act now?
Where am I running scared?
Where am I resentful of God’s grace to others?
The call to repent is a genuine one
It is not only to other people via my mouth (it may be)
It is also to me...to you
And yes, the time is short
...the time to act is now….
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