A Journey in Jonah

This week, I've been reading the small book of Jonah. It's one of those stories that you've maybe read a million times (or at least heard about a million times), but I read it with fresh eyes this week. Here's Jonah--this man on a mission from God. He's supposed to go bring a message to the people of Nineveh, but instead he thinks he can run away from the Lord. God sure gets his attention--he's cast off a ship for dead by his shipmates, and God has him swallowed in the belly of a large fish.

Jonah gets a major wake-up call:

"You hurled me into the deep,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirrled around me;
all your waves and breakers swept over me..." (Jonah 2:3)

"But you brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple." (Jonah 2:7)

Jonah realizes "salvation comes from the Lord" (2:8) and that salvation goes for ALL people--all nationalities, all ethnicities, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

So then Jonah's faithful to do what God sent him to do. He travels to the wicked city of Nineveh, full of idol worship and violence, and preaches God's messages. And the people respond!! They grieve their behavior, they turn from their wicked ways--even the king declares a revival! It seems that Nineveh (at least for the next 150 years my Bible says) turns from its wicked ways.

Shouldn't Jonah be overjoyed that the people have received God's message with such intensity and responded with such repentence??

Well, he's not. The Bible says Jonah was "greatly displeased and became angry" (Jonah 4:1). He even decides he'd rather die than see the Ninvevites live. And you think--how selfish!! But, have you ever prayed for someone living a very sinful life, and then they come to know the Lord and experience God's grace and compassion and blessings, and then you feel like, "Well they don't DESERVE that! Look how they've lived. I've never done anything like that...why does God forgive them? How can God forgive them?"

I'll be transparent--I have. In the rest of the book of Jonah, God teaches Jonah a lesson about how his grace and salvation is for ALL people who will accept him and repent, even the most sinful. How selfish of me to ever think or feel that not everyone deserves God's love and compassion! How am I any better than the next person? God says, ALL sin is the same.

In fact, God says,
"But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." (Romans 5:20).

It's reassuring though that no matter what you've done, God wipes out all sin--completely forgiving and forgetting it all--when you accept his salvation and turn from it. Lord, keep me humble enough to remember that your grace has saved me and I was and am a sinner--no better or worse than any murderer, thief, or felon.

Trust

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Boy, have I been chewing on that verse lately!! So I'll share some of what's been going on. First, I had the unexpected blessing of being able to fly out to Kansas to see my family. My mom graciously bought me a ticket so Eli could meet family he hasn't met yet. Although there were a few incidents during the trip that should not have happened, but did, overall we had a fabulous time and it was a blessing to be able to see family.

Right after leaving Kansas, my aunt, uncle, and 3 cousins came to stay with us for a few days and that was also a blessing!! Our family rarely gets to visit us, so it's a big deal when they are able to come. Besides my aunt, no one else had been to Houston before so we had fun showing them around.

As some of you know, I have really been praying for a job promotion and something different for the past year. I interviewed for and was offered a couple different opportunities in Pearland and Alvin, but for one reason or another, none of them seemed right. I kept holding out for one particular position which I just KNEW God had for me. I ended up getting an interview for that position, and felt great about how it went. But, in the end, I wasn't offered the job. I was crushed. God, what are you doing?? This was what you have for me, right? That's why I turned down all the other opportunities!

But, I kept turning back to that verse--trust in the LORD, not in my own understanding. This position seemed perfect for me. I really thought that's what I was called to do. But obviously God had bigger plans.

Therefore, I determined to stay put at my current school. I am happy and comfortable there, and I figured God might have something in store the following year. Well last week, I got an email from the director of curriculum in my district asking me if I'd be interested in interviewing for a literacy promotion!! This was a completely awesome opportunity because a) It's at one of only 3 primary K-2nd campuses left in the district, which is where I want to focus; b) I'd still get my summers off unlike the job I didn't get; c) it's a bit of a raise; d) it's at a campus that has probably the best reputation in the district as far as happy teachers...no one EVER seems to leave; and e) It's what I want to do--be a literacy coach!

I can't go into the details about it all, but God definitely orchestrated the entire deal! I was offered the job, and was actually quite surprised because they could have given it to other very deserving people with more experience than me. My new principal seems wonderful. It's just one of those things that you're like, "Wow! God, you really did have something better for me!!" I felt bad for ever being upset about the other opportunity I didn't get.

Thank you, Lord, for a wonderful new opportunity. I'm going to need a lot of strength and prayer, as it's going to be a tough transition but just wanted to share all the blessings coming our way.