Being Prepared September 10

Jonah 4:10

Then said the Lord, thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not labored, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished.

You can’t help but love Jonah, he wrote this book and held nothing back, his contempt, his disobedience, but I see his bravery and truthfulness.

After traveling in the belly of a sea creature for three days and walking through the streets of Nineveh for another three days, yelling at everyone that they had forty days before God would overthrow the city. Jonah had some issues; Jonah was mad and didn’t care who knew.

When it was all done, he went up on a hill to watch the destruction of the city, and he sat there waiting. Well, needless to say, the people of Nineveh, after hearing about a guy being spit out by a fish, looking like someone that was slimed, fresh off the set of off Ghostbusters, walking through their city proclaiming the judgment of God was about to come forth, shut everything down and repented.

During all this, God took pity on Jonah and overnight grew a gourd to shade Jonah from the heat of the day, then God prepared a worm that smote the gourd, then God prepared a vehement east wind, and the sun beat upon Jonah’s head until he fainted.

Jonah gets angry about God sending the worm to destroy the gourd, he loved the gourd, and God corrects Jonah by letting him know that people and animals are so much more worth than a gourd. And this is where the book ends with Jonah still angry about what hasn’t happened.

When you read this historical account, you’ll see the words: ‘God Prepared’ four times each time; it was a type of hardship that brought Jonah closer to his destiny.

Sadly, we know what became of Jonah; in 2015, ISIS destroyed Jonah’s headstone, a small monument to mark his final resting place, in the heart of the City of Nineveh.

Jonah lived the rest of his days in the City of Nineveh, not proclaiming God’s judgment but probably teaching the word of God.

The question is, what has God prepared for you?

He is: Jehovah-Goel

Redeeming God

Blessing’s