God’s mercy is intense. The storm tells us that God spares no expense in going after those who run away.” He reminds us that “Jesus is the storm.” His incarnation loudly proclaims that God spares nothing in order to pursue those who run away from Him. Jesus came to free us from enslavement to ourselves and our desires. The storm isn’t punishment; it’s an intervention, brought on by God’s affection rather than His anger. It’s an act of mercy when God sends the storm into Jonah’s life. God was using it to liberate Jonah from himself. Jonah thought that running from God would make him free. Instead it made him a slave. We can experience true life and freedom only when we come to realize that God is God and we are not ......something that Jonah was profoundly resisting. Submitting self to God is the only real freedom because the deepest slavery is self-dependence, self-reliance. When you live your life believing that everything (family, finances, relationships, career) depends primarily on you, you’re enslaved to your strengths and weaknesses. You’re trying to be your own savior. Freedom comes when we start trusting in God’s abilities and wisdom instead of our own. Real life begins when we transfer our trust from our own efforts to the efforts of Christ. Today I’m praying for God’s grace to embrace the mission He has for us. I’m praying that He will help us to remember that it’s not our efforts; it’s His. It all relies on Him, not us. He’s God and we are not. We just need to do what He tells us to do. We don’t want to run, unless we are running toward Him. Psalms 89:28 “My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him.” Psalms 103:8 “The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” Isaiah 54:7 “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.” Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” 1 Chronicles 16:34 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.” Be Blessed My Friends
Posted on: Fri, 11 Jul 2014 14:55:27 +0000
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