Todays Thought: Jonah 4:4 The Lord responded, Is your anger a good thing? Our first response probably is.....why, yes, of course. I am angry for a good reason. It is so easy to justify our personal feelings. In my mind I am thinking.......if you only knew what they said or what they did you would be angry too! Well, what if it was the Lord asking the question, Is your anger a good thing? Remember He knows it all - He sees the big picture. He knows the motives and thoughts behind our anger. He truly sees both sides of the issue. In this case, Jonah was angry because God in His mercy and compassion, His very patient, full of faithful love, not willing to destroy heart.......forgave the wicked people of Nineveh. How dare He thought Jonah. So what does Jonah do? He goes out and pouts. God wanting to teach Jonah another lesson provides s shrub for shade. That made Jonah happy. A tree for shade made him more happy that a group of people receiving Gods forgiveness. When we think of it like that.......it does seem a little silly doesnt? Maybe we can see that because we are on the outside looking in. But when one is involved in the anger, it is easy to justify our side. It is hard to admit maybe we are taking it too far. It is hard to step back and think it through in a reasonable manner. Then God sends a worm to attack the shrub and it dies. Then Jonah starts to get hot again, and his anger starts up. God ask Jonah a second time, Is your anger about the shrub a good thing? Of course, Jonah answers again, Yes, it is even to the point to be angry enough to die. Then God redirects Jonahs thinking. He says to Jonah you pitied a shrub you didnt plant or raise - why shouldnt I pity a group of people who I created and loved. It isnt wrong to be angry. There are things that should make us angry......but....dont you just love that little word! But in our anger we are not to sin. We need to take those feelings to God. We need to ask Him to help us to see the situation through His eyes. What if we or someone we loved was in that city of Nineveh? Would we want them to perish or would we want them to be given the opportunity to be saved? May God help us to see our lifes situations and the people in those situations as souls in need of a Savior. May we respond to each other the way that would be pleasing to God. When we look at things and people through the eyes of eternity, it should make a difference how we react.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 11:15:45 +0000
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