Jonah 3:2. Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching (message) that I bid thee (told you).
And on this summer Thursday, the rain has finally abated at mid-morning, having fallen during much of yesterday, both day and night! And though the sun is making a valiant effort to come out, right now the clouds have the upper hand. It’s also somewhat cool and windy for a summer’s day. But regardless of our environmental circumstances, the important thing is that we’re alive and kicking, some more than others (smile) and enjoying this new day that the Lord has granted us with all its new mercies and compassions!
And everybody said a loud and grateful: ‘Thank You Lord for allowing me to see another wonderful day on your great planet earth!’ And most certainly that was Jonah’s thinking when the big fish vomited him out on dry land after his heartfelt prayer in the fish’s belly. So, since the Lord’s spared our lives today, let’s keep our promise and look further at Jonah’s ministry. But before we get into it, I want to note one significant statement that Jonah made in his prayer; one that bears especial significance to us believers in these turbulent and dangerous times. His second to last statement was: ‘I will pay that I have vowed.’ (Jon. 2:9)
Now that’s an ever important statement for us to know and do, especially in these days of overwhelming fraud and deceitfulness, where vows or promises are not worth the paper they’re written on, or the air in which they’re spoken. But that’s a very big matter with our God. As Cousin Sol so wisely and rightly points out in Ecclesiastes. ‘When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer (delay) not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than thou shouldest vow and not pay.’ (Eccl. 5:4-5)
Oh friends, those words are ever so important to us as believers in Christ Jesus, for the way we treat vows and promises can show very clearly if we are true believers. And God certainly doesn’t appreciate us making promises to Him and not keeping them, like so many of us do. The promises just roll off our tongues when we desperately want something, then we conveniently forget them after we’ve received what we desired. Please, let’s stop doing that nuh, because it will only put us in the bad books of both God and men, and will eventually boomerang back on us. Awright, I just had to get that off my chest. (smile)
So getting back to Jonah’s story. And what happened after he hit dry land? The Bible tells us: ‘And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching (message) that I bid thee (told you).’ (Jon, 3:1-2) Yuh see mih people, God gave Jonah the same task as before. He doesn’t change His mind and give you something else when you refuse to do the first one. No! He keeps harping on the same one until you do it. And I believe that’s an invaluable lesson we can learn form Jonah’s disobedience. Just do whatever the Lord asks the first time, for if you don’t, He will put you through tough times until you do.
And I can tell you that from personal experience, because many years ago when the Lord first approached me with the idea of the Bit, I laughed and told Him I was not qualified to do it. I didn’t know enough scripture, which was quite true. But He kept after me, making it somewhat uncomfortable in the interim, until I eventually capitulated. And the first Bits were simply a few verses of scripture, but as time went by, the Lord opened my eyes and helped me to get better. Until now, some seventeen years later, I’m writing too much. (smile) But I still can’t do it without the Lord’s help!
That’s another lesson we ought to learn; the Lord helps us in the tasks He asks us to perform. And Jonah must have known that, but apparently he disliked the people of Nineveh so much he just didn’t want to see them saved. However, on the second instruction from the Lord, Jonah did get up and go to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to walk from end to end.
The Bible says: ‘And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey (on the first day), and he cried (out), and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes.
And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd or flock, taste anything: let them not feed, nor drink water. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent (relent), and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not.’ (Jon. 3:3-9)
Wow! That does seem like it was rather easy. Jonah just walked through the city saying that it would be destroyed in forty days because of it’s evil doings and people fasted and repented. The king even decreed it. So why was Jonah so adamant about not going there in the first place eh? Who knows, but we’ll check it out tomorrow, if we’re alive to tell the tale. (smile) Now, let’s activate our Thursday Blessings, which the Lord has undeservedly bestowed on us to help us do His earthly work.
As one voice: ‘I declare that I am blessed with God’s supernatural wisdom and receive clear direction for my life! I declare today that I am blessed with creativity, courage, talent and abundance! I am blessed with a strong will, self-control and self-discipline! I am blessed with a great family, good friends, good health, faith, favour and fulfillment! I am blessed with success, supernatural strength, promotion and divine protection! I am blessed with a compassionate heart and a positive outlook on life! I declare that any curse or negative word that’s ever been spoken over me is broken right now in the name of Jesus! I declare that everything I put my hands to, will prosper and succeed! I declare it today and every day! Amen!’
And having activated those blessings, we are now duty bound to go out and use them to help others, just as generously as the Lord bestowed them on us. Much LOVE!
…until you’ve fulfilled God’s first task…He won’t give you another…just keep giving you the same one…
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