Issue 805 – Gone A-Whaling – July 21, 2022
Yesterday I took my mom and Kathy on a whale-watching cruise out of Vancouver with the “Prince of Whales.” It was a great trip, and I have nothing but praise for that company.
We spent several hours close to a couple of pods of orcas, watching them frolic and feed. One of the crew remarked it was the best show they had seen so far this season. I can’t comment on that, but I was thoroughly impressed.
At one point, a small pod dove under our craft and surfaced on the other side, perhaps twenty yards from where we were seated.
It was also great fun to watch the seals and sea lions. They are such graceful animals in the water but ungainly on land.
I struggled to connect yesterday’s events and the Scriptures this morning. I could talk about the incredible diversity of God’s creative works. I could talk about the blessings of being able to see the animals.
In the end, I settled on a tenuous connection that kept recurring. Perhaps it is a bit of a stretch, but here we go anyway.
I thought of Jonah. We don’t know if he was swallowed by a whale, a big fish or a sea monster. I am pretty confident it wasn’t by an orca.
We are all familiar with his story and some of the important details.
Jonah was a prophet of God and called to take the message of God’s grace to a pagan people group living in Nineveh. Instead, Jonah ran away to sea. He hated the thought of God having mercy on the Ninevites.
A storm came up; Jonah was tossed into the sea and swallowed by the whale. He was spit up later on the shores of Nineveh, where he reluctantly proclaimed the truth. As Jonah feared they might, the Ninevites repented (at least for a season). The story closes with Jonah pouting on a beach, angry with God. Not exactly a pretty picture of a prophet of God.
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. Jonah 1:1-3
Jonah’s petty act of rebellion would not thwart God’s plans.
The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah 3:6-10
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah 4:1-3
God then asked Jonah a very pointed question.
And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?” Jonah 4:4
It is a great question, not only for Jonah but for us as well. What are we holding on to that God wants us to release? Is it anger, possessions or something else? It is something different for everyone.
Our petty issues will not thwart God’s plan. The only one who gets hurt by them is us.
Take some time today to examine your heart to see what you are called to change, then trust God to make it right.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed
Kevin.
Gleanings From The Word.
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone.)
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