Oh, how the conviction trickled into my heart...
One of my favorite sermons ever taught was by my mentor, Kristi Payne. She talked about how Jonah is quite a sad story. The Lord called him to minister to the Ninevites and he fled! He had such a bad attitude about it and finally when he decided to listen to the Lord, all he said to Nineveh was, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned”. Sounds like a big change in heart Jonah, NOT! What a spoiled little brat. it also reminds me of the people who hand out the gospel tracks - i don't think they've ever actually cared about my thoughts and my heart. take me to coffee and talk to me about this passion in your life (sorry this is something that i really struggle with - especially because i use to be one of those people). And from that, the Ninevites repented and mourned because of their sin. Talk about God being the one to transcend the human heart! That’s all Jonah said and it was with hate in his heart toward Nineveh. And an entire city repented of their sins! God works in mighty ways.
In chapter 4 Jonah is angry that God is forgiving Nineveh. God asks Jonah, “do you have a right to be angry?”. As Jonah was sulking, God grew a vine around him for shade. Jonah was very happy about the vine because it eased his discomfort from the heat. Then over night, God sent a worm to eat the vine and Jonah no longer had shade. Along came a scorching East wind and Jonah grew faint – he was miserable in the heat again. Jonah threw a fit again, “It would be better for me to die than to live” – come on Jonah, that’s a little bit dramatic. I mean, even I throw temper tantrums, but not over being hot. But God said to Jonah, “Do you have any right to be angry about the vine?”
Jonah is gutsy here, “I do”, he said, “I am angry enough to die”.
Now comes the conviction…
“But the Lord said, ‘You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?’”
1st thought– I wonder if the writer of Jonah knew he was going to be post modern. I mean, ending a book in a question instead of a yes or no answer… so po-mo.
2nd thought – Sunday we learned that there are only 2 books in the bible that end in a question – Nahum and Jonah – both are about Nineveh (but that’s irrelevant to this blog post).
3rd thought – HOLY SMOKES!! I am Jonah.
God blessed Jonah with a vine for shade. He gave him this vine as a gift. Then he took Jonah’s comfort away. He took Jonah’s undeserving comfort away… and Jonah was angry as if he deserved that comfort. It is so easy for me to judge Jonah here.
Pastor gave the analogy, it’s a HOT summer day and you’re given an AC. That AC brings you comfort and then the AC is taken away. You thorw a fit… I am soooo angry I would rather be dead. That’s quite a stretch. But how often do we as Americans do this. I don’t have the nicest car or the best clothes and I don’t own a house… i am so depressed, i want to die. oh no, where is the Zoloft?!? (side note: depression is a very serious and very real thing and some people do need medicated - however, it's definitely over diagnosed in our country because we are prideful and spoiled) We don’t deserve those comforts, we are blessed to have those comforts.
So my heart is incredibly convicted about this. Since the thought of moving to Oregon was laid in my lap. I have fought it tooth and nail! Kicking and screaming not wanting to come. – Just like Jonah with Nineveh. Except I didn’t flee from the Lord and get eaten by a whale. Thank you Jesus for having mercy on my sinful soul.
My comforts were taken away. My family, my friends, my community, my job, etc. The blessings in my life, freely given to me, were taken away. And I lament. I am still lamenting. It is really freaking hard. I am throwing a fit.
And the Lord says to me, 'Kylee! You have been lamenting brokenhearted selfishly consumed concerned about these comforts of yours, though you did not tend them or make them grow – they were a gift to you from me. But Eugene has a population of 140,000 who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many hippie vans as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?’
Yes Lord, I am sooooooooo sorry. Sooo sooo sorry. Please change my heart. I am lamenting over comforts that I’ve experienced, please change my heart. Make it like yours. Show me your way. Give me a heart for your people. Help me to be gentle and loving. Be my comfort. Be my purpose. Help me to be okay with this because I am not.
*Those TV preachers are full of crap. When you walk with Jesus, you aren't promised earthly riches and that things are always going to be peachy keen. My comfort clings to Jesus's promise, "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
