Text - Jonah 1:1-5
I remember a time while growing up, my mom sent me to get something for her at a nearby kiosk. I left the house but changed course when I met some of my friends and we started to play, we played so hard that I even forgot all about the errand. Well I got to remember, I went, bought the stuff and headed home straight like someone that did the right thing. But on reaching home, I was already 3hours late from the time I left the house. Story short was that day, my mom sent me back to God and God sent me back to earth again lols.
Today let’s discuss a very familiar guy in the bible, Uncle Jonah. From our passage God sent Jonah to the city of Nineveh to preach his word to them but Uncle decided to travel to Tarshish. On rough findings it would take Jonah only three days to Nineveh but one year to Tarshish. Yet, Uncle choose the long route against the will of God.
Now I want to talk about three things from this story that we as Christians today are found wanting of;
First, It’s a great privilege for God to choose us and we don’t see it. When it comes to God we don’t have a choice.
Just like Uncle Jo, we don’t know why Christ selected us to be His and to do His work. Christ has chosen us to be His own people and He has loved us unconditionally since then. We were not even laid the opportunity to agree or disagree with this. He choose us amidst our sins.
Second, just like Uncle Jo, we are only willing to be faithful to God if God's will is ours too.
Today we have found a way practicing our faith that our decisions are made out already before we even ask God for help. As far as it doesn’t go our way, then we don’t do any other way. We have neglected our faith in Christ and have turned the other way round, yet we say we are of Christ! If we be for Christ, then why not do what He says?
Third, the will of God is an expression of God’s Love for us.
Now I love this part. One of the best ways parents say they express their love for their kids is by educating them. I believe this is common amongst the African parents. Now when we were kids we didn’t have a choice to go to school or not, in fact if we cry then get dealt with for crying lol.
God’s way of showing He loves us is by the will He has for us. We only need to keep strong and obey His will.
HE CALLS YOU, HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND?