Enter The Story

Scripture

“Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord.

~Jonah 1:2-3, NLT

Quote

A good story or movie has a captivating power and at some point, we enter the story through our imagination.

~Ya’akov

Everyone loves Jonah. This is one of the more popular stories in the Bible and it is not uncommon to hear unbelievers talking and laughing about Jonah. Jonah had a bad attitude, and the story of Jonah highlights his rebellion and bitterness. When you think of Jonah, you don’t think of a good person who is humble, meek, loving, gentle and filled with loving kindness. You think of a bigoted Jew who hates Gentiles and especially Assyrians. The story ends with Jonah being angry and upset because God showed mercy to the wicked Ninevites instead of nuking them like He did Sodom and Gomorrah. Jonah makes us feel better about ourselves: when we read his story, we think to ourselves, “At least I am not as bad as Jonah.”

The book of Jonah is not recorded for our entertainment. Although none of us want to be Jonah, we must see ourselves in the story. If we remain outside the narrative, the book will have little impact on our life. It took me many readings, but I came to see myself clearly in the story. To put it in redneck terms, Jonah was a jerk. He was deeply prejudiced man, but I do not know anyone who is not. Every human is a racist to some degree; it is just hard for some to admit it. I know most of you don’t like Trump but the hatred that is directed toward him is unprecedented and unfair. You cannot justify such hatred and yet millions do. Of course, hating white men is not wrong; especially those who hold to biblical values. Solomon said, and I totally agree, “There’s not one totally good person on earth; not one who is truly pure and sinless.” {Eccl. 7:20, MSG} Billy Graham prayed, “Father make me compassionate like Jesus.” My default setting is bent toward Jonah, and I pray often for God to make me more like Jesus and less like Jonah. I do admire Jonah’s courage, but I do not share his affinity for judgment. I pray for REVIVAL daily and I don’t intend to quit. I want the whole world to repent and come to Jesus.

Extra

Holidays are wonderful and my family enjoyed a week in the mountains. God is good: I cannot thank Him enough. I am glad to be back home, and I am looking forward to getting back to our regular schedule. I do feel for those who hate their jobs. Holidays make you want to retire but it takes money to retire and lots of it.

We do have a couple of families in crisis at the Point. One is the Gilchrist family. They have lost three family members in the last 6 weeks. Also, Lincoln has covid and they sent him home; so, keep praying for the Kallas family.

Extra/Extra

The left uses labels to intimidate and silence those of us on the right but I am past the point of caring what they call me. I will not be silent. Someone told me Saturday that my attitude toward the LBGT-Q-A was wrong. She said, Jesus loves gays. Jesus loves everyone, that is the gospel, but we are not saved by His love. If that were true everyone would be saved because He does loves everyone. We are saved by the atonement. The atonement is Jesus sacrificial death as payment for our sins. To be saved, we have to confess our sinfulness, repent of it and put our faith in Christ. Salvation is available but it is not automatic.

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