Jesus and Jonah

God sent Jonah to the great city of Nineveh to preach because the people were wicked (Jonah 1:1). God sent Jesus to the world because the world is full of sin (John 1:29). Jonah ran the other way then had a change of direction (not a change of heart) and preached to the city. Throughout the mission of Jonah it is clear that he hated the people of Nineveh. It is equally clear throughout the mission of Jesus that He loved the people of the world. For the past few weeks I have wrestled with the inescapable question - Am I more like Jonah or Jesus? The question is not as uncomfortable if I answer quickly. Jonah is painted with such an ugly brush, I can quickly draw a contrast between "him" and "me". But, questions like this one are not supposed to be answered quickly. As I said, I've been wrestling with this one for weeks. The more I consider the message of Jonah, the more the ugly painting becomes a self portrait! Our culture is like fertile soil that grows selfishness in our hearts. Loving the wicked, cruel, unlovable people of the world was the heart and soul of our Savior. Only when His heart beats in mine do my Jonah qualities begin to fade.

Vacation Bible School

VBS is going full throttle this week. We're having a great time. The music and energy is wide open. It's great to see so many kids (of all ages) having a great time. VBS at Heritage reminds me of "spirit week" at a high school. Our hallways are filled with people with green, orange and blue hair. Each of our teams have their own "chant". In all of this there is a contagious atmosphere that I would love to bottle and distribute throughout the congregation for the rest of the year. What would the other 51 weeks of the year be like if we served God with all of the gusto of a VBS week? But, sadly most will return to being "adults" after this week.

Emotional Health

While studying Jonah I noticed how many times his emotional state is mentioned. In fact, more than once, God asks Jonah whether or not it is "right" for him to be angry. I have never really considered the prominent role of Jonah's emotions in the story before. Our emotions are a wonderful part of who we are. God created us with a tremendous and complex capacity for range of emotions. I couldn't begin to list all of the emotions that I have experienced today. But, the text of Jonah reminds us that it is worth considering whether our emotions help or hinder. It requires us to look below the surface. When God asked Jonah whether it was "right" for him to be angry He was unveiling the deeper reasons for Jonah's anger. Jonah's anger was rooted in selfishness and resentment toward God's actions/inaction. Jonah's anger did not lead him in a positive direction. The Hebrew word for "anger" carries a meaning of "heat". It is a fitting word to remind us that Jonah's thinking and his anger were like gas and fire. His anger was fueled by his selfish thinking. Jonah's experiences give me some good food for thought as it relates to my own emotional health.

Men's Retreat

I participated in a great retreat last weekend with a great group of men from Heritage. We had a great time. Our goal for the retreat was very clear. We wanted to invest in stronger relationships with one another and with God. I can only speak for myself. The goal was met in my life and then some. I enjoyed spending time with the men and I enjoyed spending time with God. The common element in those two statements is time. A retreat setting provides a great opportunity to stay off the phone and remove myself from the computer and TV and enjoy being with others. I played basketball, football, swam in the lake, hiked with Nicholas and had breakfast, lunch, dinner at a round table that was filled with conversation and laughter. It was refreshing and reviving in my spirit. Thanks God.

A man of prayer

Jonah prayed while in the belly of a fish. He became a "man of prayer" in his crisis time. But, prayer is both simple and complex. It can be as simple as a cry for help or as complex and mysterious as the transformation of God's work in us. Jonah prayed. His prayer is a mixture of confession and acknowledgement of God's truth. Yet, on the other side of the fish, it doesn't seem that Jonah's heart was much different. Nouwen's definition of a "man of prayer" reveals the transformation that God desires. Nouwen writes "a man of prayer is, in the final analysis, the man who is able to recognize in others the face of the Messiah". Quite a challenge when we think in terms of Jonah seeing the fingerprint of God on the wicked people of Nineveh. But, too often that is how we justify our apathy or hatred toward others. If we fail to see Jesus, we fail to reveal Jesus.

Where's your favorite chapel?

While living in Arizona, Lynn and I frequently drove to Sedona. It was great living 45 minutes from one of the most beautiful places on earth. The red rock formations are incredible. One of our favorite places to visit was a chapel nestled in the side of the red rock mountains. It was a short hike up to chapel and the view was spectacular. It was a great place for quiet meditation and prayer. While reading through Jonah I couldn't help but notice that God provided Jonah with a great chapel. God gave Jonah a private prayer chapel inside a fish. Depending on how you define "distractions", Jonah had a perfect place to "get alone" with God. More and more I recognize that God provides great chapel opportunities. On the outside, they may not appear to be as beautiful as the chapel in the rocks at Sedona, but they are God-given sanctuaries provided for moments of prayer and meditation.

Me Generation

Intersting terminology. There have been many references to the "me" generation. Some define it as anyone born after 1970. My definition is a little more generous. I define it as anyone born after Adam. This week I have been studying one of the poster children from the me generation: Jonah. The story of Jonah is a masterpiece of selfishness. It doesn't require much study to understtand that message. But, what is more subtle to us is the way we read Jonah. We tend to focus on Jonah and identify our own journey with Jonah's journey. We gain keen insight on the ways in which we have rejected God's call. That is good. But, isn't it interesting that we are less likely to identify with the people of Nineveh? After all, I am a Gentile not a Jewish prophet. I needed someone to preach a message of repentance to me, just like the people of Nineveh. I needed to turn from away from my sin and toward a holy God, just like them.

Hiding from the wind

It's windy today and very hot. It's a great reminder to me of how God used the wind to get Jonah's attention. The first time it was the wind that brought the storm on the sea (Jonah 1:4). Jonah was in the boat "running from God's presence". God sent the storm and Jonah wound up going overboard and spending some time as God's guest at the fish hotel. The second time God sent a hot wind (Jonah 4:8) to get Jonah's attention because of his selfish attitude. Jonah had become outwardly obedient, but he still had some major issues with obedience on the inside. Both of these examples demonstrate that it is wise to examine our actions and attitudes when we encounter storms in our lives. Sometimes the wind is blowing to get our attention.