My two grandsons love a children's book I have of the story of Jonah from the Bible. They are always fascinated with the fact that this guy(Jonah) went the exact opposite direction God told him to go via boat, was asleep during a horrific storm at sea, admitted God was mad at him and had himself tossed overboard by some knee-knocking, scared sailors, was swallowed by a whale, was spit up after he came to his senses and said he was sorry he hadn't gone to those nasty people, somewhat begrudgingly told the nasty people they were going to be destroyed by God if they did not repent, and then sat on a hill to see if they were going to be wiped out. (Hopefully they would be, he thought.)
The nasty people repented and Jonah was ticked. God gave Jonah a plant to give him shade in the hot sun. Then God had a worm destroy the plant. Jonah was ticked about his plant up and dying.
I think my grandsons and I always marvel at God's love for people, and that Jonah had trouble getting that. How could he like his personal plant that God gave him more than his fellow mankind? They think that's silly. Micah, Caleb and I always laugh, look at each other and snicker a little about Jonah liking that plant so much.
But, don't we all have those Jonah moments of fiercely holding onto our personal comforts with judgement in our hearts? I know the sharp sting in my heart when others speak judgement and condemnation over me. It's the opposite of God's character.
Thomas Carlisle wrote a poem entitled, "You Jonah" and the poem closes with these words:
And Jonah stalked
to his shaded seat
and waited for God
to come around
to his way of thinking.
And God is still waiting for a host of Jonahs
in their comfortable houses
to come around
to His way of loving.
Watercolor begun....Fresh Plums, Cinque Terre Farmhouse.
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