I Don't Get It

I do not always understand the outcome of completing the work to which God has called me. This can, if I allow it, cause a hesitancy to obey His leading and sending. I tend to be a person who likes to have all the answers before making a commitment. However when dealing with God, you could call this a lack of faith. There is a big push for mission statements these days but are they really an attempt to erase faith by needing to know how our obedience will workout? I am for mission statements, but caution should be taken.

Some of us struggle to obey God because we are not sure how it will turn out. Because of this we say “I will not”; based on a misunderstanding of how God completes His work. Go does not always tell us all what He has planned within the scope of the work to which we are called. We often find ourselves in places we never would have dreamed, doing things that we never thought were possible. The point is this; as you participate in the work of God, He will determine the outcome as you walk in faithful obedience. The following is what we can learn from Jonah chapter four. I suggest that before you continue reading this, you open up your Bible and read this chapter.

At times we may struggle to connect who God is and what He is asking us to do.
Jonah’s knowledge of God’s merciful character caused him to say “I will not” to God at the outset of his call to announce judgement upon the city of Nineveh. Can you imagine Jonah pondering his call to announce judgment while believing God to be merciful. This is one reason why Jonah tried to escape following what God had called him to do.

A second point of concern is when God’s actions do not flow according to our thoughts and we become angry. Jonah was angry at the fact that His knowledge of God being merciful was fulfilled. To us this may not seem like some thing over which to become angry. However if you or I were an Old Testament prophet we would probably understand. There are several possible reasons for Jonah’s anger perhaps Jonah thought that others would think he was a false prophet. Or maybe he believed that the lack of judgment would give Gentiles a reason to mock God for the unfulfilled words of His prophet. One other possible reason for his anger could have been his patriotism that would have caused him to desire the destruction Nineveh as a means of alarming his own people who were in rebellion and bring them to repentance.

All this being considered God calls us to participate in His work and we have no right to be angry at what He chooses as the outcome. This is the point of the object lesson provided for Jonah in verses 5-11. This point is made many times throughout the Scriptures. One such occasion is Psalm 11. Here we come to understand that we are to engage in His work through study and remembrance while performing the work in the wisdom that comes from fearing Him. The challenge now becomes to follow God's call even if we just don't understand how it will all turn out.

May God bless you with a call to do His work, and may you never say no.