Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

Even now, return to me

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

From Luke 11
Jesus said, "This generation seeks a sign, but not sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah ... At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here."

The fish didn't like the taste of God's prophet. But the fish saved his life. Jonah wasn't so sure he wanted his life to be saved, because he harbored hatred toward those to whom God wanted him to preach. What a mess of emotions must have surged through Jonah. In Enneagram numbering, I'm guessing he was an 8.

Jesus walked toward Jerusalem like Jonah walked toward Nineveh. But Jesus met far more resistance. Jonah's resistance all came from within himself. Jesus was clear on that score. He knew exactly what his Father wanted him to do and say, and had no problem with it. It was the people, especially the leaders of the Jewish people, who resisted him, turned away from him, ridiculed him, challenged him and rejected him.

The Bible's canon doesn't describe Jonah's life after his mission to Nineveh. God simply says, "Shut up, Jonah. You can't even keep a tree alive. I care about those city folks, and anyway, what about their animals? At least you could think about their animals." Maybe Jonah's withered compassion could at least extend to the dogs and cats and donkeys and chickens. Nineveh was not God-forsaken, in spite of Jonah's best efforts to think it so.

But what of Jerusalem? Jesus thought of Jerusalem as God's chosen city, as did all the Jews. Was it also about to be God-forsaken? From those who have been given much, much will be required" (Luke 12 and John F. Kennedy). Jesus knew things were looking bad for the Jews. "How often I have longed to gather your children together, and you were not willing" (Matthew 23).

Over and over the prophets are stoned. History hones the sharp edge of selfishness in small men that want to see themselves large. In big arenas and small, we are afraid, we pretend to be proud, and we make the awful mistake of thinking our enemy is our brother. We ask the ugly sarcastic question, "Who am I? Am I my brother's keeper?"

Yes. I am. And I have only one Enemy, and it's not my brother.

We can only carry on, Lord, because of your unflagging faithfulness to what you've made us to be. Your love whispers back to me even when I shout insults out at you. None of us listens like we could. Forgive me, Lord. Open up my ears to the cries of my brother. Open up my ears to your whisper, as you wipe away our tears.

Devotions Archive

Even now, return to me

Wednesday, March 8, 2017