Friday, December 3, 2010

God Brings Us Back

"But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the LORD." -- Jonah 1:3

Okay. That's me. The one running away with Jonah because I don't want to do what God has told me to do. Yeah. I know. Cowardly and foolish and not real bright all rolled into one big lump of a blonde. Never works. God always brings me back. I wonder why I even try.

Instinct, I think. It's that child in us that automatically says "no" when a parent tells us to do something. It just comes out before we really have time to think and reason it through. I know God knows best. Been there. Done that. Don't want to go back again. Still, I want to do things my way. Silly.

I understand where Jonah was coming from. Those people in Ninevah had sinned and sinned. Now God wanted Jonah to warn the people to repent or face destruction. Jonah figured the people there deserved whatever they got. Ever feel that way? Sure about that? It's pretty easy to look down on someone who is in financial trouble, assume they've made bad choices and that they're getting what they deserve.

The same is true of just about any sinner -- and we're all sinners. We make mistakes and mess up our lives. But when we turn back to God, when we go down on our knees and ask for forgiveness, He lifts us up again. We get a do-over. God always loves us and always gives us another chance. Mind you, we have to be sincere in our desire to turn our lives back to Him, but He always takes us back.

That's what Jonah had to learn. It's what we have to learn as well. I don't always agree with what God is asking me to do. I don't always understand His purpose or His plan. I don't have to. I just have to trust that He has a plan and that He knows what is best. God wants all His children to come to Him. If He chooses to use me in any way, I will gratefully do as His says. He has saved me time and again. Everyone deserves the same chance.