When we sin there are consequences. When we disobey God, there are consequences we must deal with. We bring them on ourselves. But God uses them to bring us back into fellowship with Him. He relentlessly pursues us. He will never ever give up on us.Jonah chose a path of disobedience. God would have been within his rights to have said, “Jonah, you have disobeyed me, and as such you have forfeited the right to be called my child. I am letting go!” But he didn’t. Jonah expressed his rebellion, but God loved him too much to let him go. The Bible says that God sent the storm. This was not just an ordinary storm but a storm so great the even veteran sailors were afraid.
Sometimes God doesn’t calm the sea; He stirs it up. The issue, whether the sea is calm or stormy, is to choose to live for Christ, to follow Him, and to obey Him. And when the calm sea turns stormy, then we can call out to Him like the disciples did when they were with Jesus in the boat in the storm. And we trust in Him through it. And He delivers us through it.
God loves us too much to allow His us to drift into open rebellion without disciplining us. David said in Psalm 119:67, 71 “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. … It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees.” God loves you too much to let you remain disobedient. God cares so much about us that He disciplines us.
The British poet, Francis Thompson, wrote an epic poem known as "The Hound of Heaven." In it he pictures someone running from God like a Jonah, only to find that the Lord patiently and triumphantly pursues him until the wayward child rests in the Lord’s arms. The central point of this poem is its outrageous assertion that sometimes we run from God and that God actually pursues us. Here are a few lines of the poem: “I fled from God, down through the nights and down through the days; I fled from God, down the arches of the years; I fled from God, down the labyrinth of my own mind. In the midst of tears, I hid. Under running laughter, I hid from God. Up vistaed slopes I sped, shot hurriedly over chasmed fears. ... But those strong feet of God came after me with unhurrying chase and unperturbed pace; with constant speed and divine instancy. .....And a voice, more persistent than the feet, spoke and said: “You are my precious one. I will not let you go.”
That’s the way God is. He is so persistent, so diligent, so untiring in his pursuit of us when we stray. He relentlessly pursues us. He will never ever give up on you.
Posts
I can see myself at times like Jonah. Scared, fearful, running to avoid conflict, responsibility, discipline, seeking an escape route from what I can't cope with or accept. For me, this message shows me that in my pursuit of freedom from what is unknown or from the known consequences of my sins shines a light in my darkest hiding place. I pray that if I start to run that I will look up and see the out stretched hands of God inviting me to run to Him. It is also comforting to know that if I forget to look up that He will not let me out of His sight nor stop pursuing me. Sometimes I can't comprehend this unconditional love. When I try to see God with my human mind it hinders my faith in His greatness, but when I search His face in my heart I can embrace His greatness, love, mercy and forgiveness. I'm so grateful Pastor David for your blog and the special time it gives me to reflect on my God and my day while seeking His purpose for me.
ReplyDelete