Judgment coming does it sound like mercy or pure meanest. If we compare this story to our world today would where everyone gets equal treatment in everyway from reward to punishment seem just. Give every kid a star whether pass or fail does it seem right. Some believe this way every child feels important no matter if they tried or not instead of if they failed or achieved honor role. Life is not that way. The truth of the matter we want everyone on the same playing field and we find people in the foul line before the game even begins. Jonah would be in the foul line before this story begins. Reason being he was in the presence of the Lord and the Lord said Jonah go preach to Nineveh, their wickedness is before me, and i will send you to preach repentance to them. Jonah does not say I can't go, he just takes off running in the wrong direction making a goaled for Satan, no God is about to turn him around to his way of thinking. See Jonah had apparently obedience to God problem. Jonah thought he could out run God apparently, he jumped on a ship headed for Tarish, only to be resting while the ship was in utter turmoil.This big storm had come upon the ship and this was not ordinary storm, to the point they began to through what they carried off the ship. They find Jonah asleep and ask him if this trouble was his. The reason for this storm because of his running from God. The ship crew tried everything to save poor Jonah from the storm, but their only hope of survival was to get rid of the person that was causing the storm in their life. They asked God for mercy if this was innocent blood, because they understood Jonah God did has he pleased. As soon as Jonah was cast in the sea, the sea stopped from its rage.

The scripture says God prepared a fish to swallow Jonah. From science perspective no fish could keep a man from drowning in his belly three days. This fish was prepared for Jonah and it swallowed him up. No doubt at this point God felt the judgment of God on his own life. Was this the God of love that was causing so much havoc and mayhem in the life of the sailors, loosing their wares as well as causing them fear that they would bow and worship him after the storm was over. Was this love when God prepared a fish to carry Jonah back to shore so he could walk to Nineveh?

When we think of love we do not think of correction and running after someone to force them to turn around as being love. Let change the scenario for a second. If your best friend is going in the direction of protential danger because you hear on the radio that a major accident is now occurring on such and such a road, do you call him to help him avoid the accident, or do you just let him run right into it. You know he not there yet, but will be soon. You try and turn your friend around most likely or send him another way. Jonah was running away from the presence of God but take note the men on the ship knew the power of Jonah God, and that their gods could not do something like this storm. They lost much trying to fight the God of Jonah but soon were converted to the God of Jonah as soon as they let Jonah go into the sea. Now God did not abandon Jonah but provide a huge fish to swallow him.

When in ministry you never know what is involved, in fact you never know what God going to do. However if you called up in general it is a choice, but in this case, Jonah was assigned a job and it was all of a sudden it was not Lord where ever you want me to go, I will go but Lord no I can't do that. We are often afraid of the job that God has assign us, because it may appear larger then us, not justifiable to us, why not just destroy them Lord? Why do I have to deal with those people? The Lord like yes I sent you to them, but I gave you the ability to do the work I called you too, so go. I see their ability to be saved, their ability to be my children. Jonah what did he see, himself going to a city of wickedness, and landed in his running on a ship that also needed repenting. You can go the easy route or the hard route.

God sees in the wickedness of the people brought before him the potential for salvation, do we not understand our own wickedness was brought before God and he seen us as being able to be saved. Now some people might say what have I not done that is not common to man. That the point our first sin is not seeing that we all fall short of the glory of God. Key word all. Everyone is in need of saving, everyone is in need of the Lord. Jesus had not been fully revealed in the flesh yet, but everyone needs the word and truth of the Lord. He sees our wickedness, and it does not please him, but if we confess he able to forgive us our sins. NOt only forgive but he expects us to follow his will and ways for our life. When Christ came he paid the price for our sins through his death and gave us knew life through his resurrection to all that believe.

Sometimes the wrong direction helps us turn around even if we are at first kicking and scream I want to go the other way. The truth of it we can not see the storm that coming in the other direction. There two storms, but one storm is not ours, but the Lord's and the other battle is already marked as we can do the job. A pastor desiring a big church lands up in a rundown church, not his choice, but he there because of the call on his life. God teaches him about his time of preaching in the little church that grew while that big church got it wind knock out of its sails. We wonder why God would do this, because he desire to see his people not only saved, but not going back down the wrong road of destruction. He rather not have to pull us back out of the mud, but he knows he probably have too. That is the God of love, not a God of wrath, but a God of wisdom, and mercy, giving all a chance to repent.

Dear Heavenly Father, help us to see the world as all worth saving and not just one or two. Yet sometimes the battle not ours and we need to fight the battle you assign to us. In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Continual Scripture Study: Romans 11:27-36 KJV
27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' sakes.
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:
31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.
32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.