Throughout the bible and throughout the history of mankind God has called upon individuals to be prophets, disciples, messengers, etc. We read about a lot of those called into service for God like Jonah, John the Baptist, the 12 disciples of Jesus and all the saints, men and women. All of them have something in common, something we share in common with them. They were all ordinary people, living their lives day to day just like we do, earning a living, raising families, marrying, etc. What sets them apart and makes them uncommon in our eyes is how they responded when they were called into service by God. Isn’t it a marvel that Jonah had the courage to travel three days across the vast city of Ninevah to deliver the message from God that in forty days the city would be destroyed? Isn’t it amazing that so many people recognized the truth in his words and believed that he was delivering God’s message and so converted they lives to good for God and even doing penances?
Jesus came to Galilee and proclaimed the Good News to people saying, “The time you have been waiting for has come! The reign of God is here! Change your lives and believe in the Good News!” In Galilee Jesus summoned Simon and his brother Andrew, James and his brother John and told them, “Come and follow me. From now on you will be gathering people, not fish!” Those 4 men dropped everything, left their lives behind and followed Jesus. They recognized the Word of God and they responded to the call to service.
We are all called by God, just as the disciples, just like the people of Ninevah, to repent of our ways and to change our lives and believe in the Good News. Last week I said that the transformation of our hearts and minds can take a lifetime, but change we must to become what God has always intended us to be: sanctified, holy and spiritual beings. We cannot have this material world and submit to our own will and also have heaven and submit to God’s will. The difference between you and me and the disciples and the saints is that they let go of their own will, let go of their life, and submitted completely to the will of God. Think about that total submission…you will realize how difficult it is for us to achieve. Our will keeps breaking through and trying to override God’s will.
Jonah’s story isn’t so simple as being asked to impart God’s words to them and they repented and so were saved. Jonah did not want to go to Ninevah because he did not want God to save them! Jonah did not think the Ninevites should share the God of the Israelites. Jonah knew that God was merciful, loving and forgiving and even though Ninevah was very unlikely to head the Word of God, if they did God would forgive them and Jonah could not bear the thought. He tried to run away from God and hide and in the end was brought to repentance in the belly of a whale. When the Ninevites repented immediately and changed their lives and worshipped God Jonah was not happy and wanted God to just take his life from him.
God's mercy and salvation is for everyone, not just those we think deserve Him. If only those that deserved His love got it, we'd all be headed for hell. Jonah never does grasp this. He continues to whine about his own condition but feels no pity or mercy for the Ninevites.
God tells Jonah, "11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn't I feel sorry for such a great city?" (Jonah 4:11 NLT) Thankfully, God does feel sorry for us and spares us in spite of ourselves. And, God can work through us in spite of ourselves. He was able to use Jonah to deliver a message despite Jonah's unwillingness and complete distaste for the message. But, Jonah suffers consequences for not doing things God's way. And, so do we.
When we do not share the Good News we deprive someone of the opportunity to convert their life and love and serve God. We cannot make someone change, but we can give them a choice to do so, or not. We can shed some light where none has fallen before. We fail, utterly, when we selfishly keep our Christianity to ourselves because we do not believe someone deserves God’s mercy, or because we are embarrassed or afraid of the reaction we will receive.
The Psalm this week is Psalm 25: Teach Me Your Ways, O Lord (two columns on this page: Demo (music) and Lead Sheet (words and written music). Click on the Psalm 25 DEMO to listen to music and right click on the Lead Sheet across from that with the words “Teach Me Your Ways, O Lord” and open in a new tab and you can listen and read simultaneously. The Psalm setting was originally set with a different refrain and so the music sample has the original refrain but the lead sheet has the refrain for this Sunday, “Teach Me Your Ways, O Lord”.
Have a blessed week! Go in LOVE and serve the Lord!