Jonah 1:5-6-Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep.
One of the responsibilities I’ve come to appreciate more and more, is the opportunity to have serious conversations with my kids as they get older and eventually move on from my wife and I. My son (who is 11 in middle school) and I conversed over what could contribute to the mindset of the recent mass shootings, and one of his peers attempt at suicide, in front of a lunchroom full of students early this year.
Though the suicide attempt shocked many parents and teachers in the community, my son said that it didn’t shock many of his peers, which is shocking! He said the child seemed very distant, never talked to anyone, and was heard to be bullied on social media. So sadly some kids concluded without condoning, that suicide/even murder is a plausible outcome when neglect and “bullying” is consistently happening, scary.
All of these things caused me to think about how desperate we need Christ of course! But to know Christ without pursuing our purpose in Him, can cause us to be completely obliviously to what people need from us, as a light in their darkness. Because if you consider the famous story of Jonah, his running from his purpose left people in danger. But because his conscience was hardened towards the Lord, he was apathetic in people possibly dying from his disobedience…(Jonah 1:7-17)
Jonah like all of us at certain points and times, do no want to serve the people God sends us to. But when God sends us to serve people we don’t like or want to serve, it is to kill our arrogance. That service is not about what we like to do, but what God wants, which is the essence of worshiping God and accepting His discipline “as sons”…(Hebrews 12:7,8)
The ability for Jonah to go down into the ship and go to sleep, while knowing he is the reason for the storm and the endangerment of others, is callous (Jonah 1:12). Apathy can get to us all, but if there is no fight to crawl out of it, how can we say the love of God dwells in us (1 John 3:16-18)? If God found a way for Jonah, He will find a way for you and I…
In His Love, Ld
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