At His Feet

2021

Reminder for 2021: God picked me. He has plans for me despite my shortcomings and He is the faithful Father who will complete His work in me. Do not look at yourself, look at God.

Saul forfeited his calling because he didn't believe it was for him. Do not make that same mistake.

Also, remember that God is the faithful husband in the relationship, like Hosea, because even when we run from Him, He'll still guide us back. God proves this through the life of Jonah. Jonah ran from God and didn't want to do what God told him to, He purposely ran from purpose but still, God loved him and saved him from the belly of the whale and guided him right where he was called to be. God was still kind to Jonah when Jonah threw the biggest fit over God forgiving his enemies. Instead of burning the kid right then and there, instead, God gave him a picture and showed him why He was compassionate on the enemies.

Jonah 4:6-11
The Lord made a gourd plant grow quickly over Jonah. This made a cool place for Jonah to sit and helped him to be more comfortable. He was very happy because of this plant.

The next morning, God sent a worm to eat part of the plant. The worm began eating the plant, and the plant died.

After the sun was high in the sky, God caused a hot east wind to blow. The sun became very hot on Jonah's head, and he became very weak. He asked God to let him die. He said, "It is better for me to die than to live."

But God said to Jonah, "Do you think it is right for you to be angry just because this plant died?"

Jonah answered, "Yes, it is right for me to be angry! I am angry enough to die!"

And the Lord said, "You did nothing for that plant. You did not make it grow. It grew up in the night, and the next day it died. And now you are sad about it. If you can get upset over a plant, surely I can feel sorry for a big city like Nineveh. There are many people and animals in that city. There are more than 120,000 people there who did not know they were doing wrong."

Jonah was upset over a plant that died. Jonah never planted the plant or watered it. He just sat there and enjoyed its shade. So really, why should he have gotten mad? Why should he have cared if the plant died if he didn't care for it nor grow it?

What I see is God telling us, "How can you care over small things but yet its wrong for me to care for others?"

I think the best example is my life. This world is pretty backwards. We tend to care for the things that really have no value at all like fame and money or cars and clothes, yet we can turn a blind eye when someone's life is in danger or hurting. We're quick to get angry when things inconvenience us but we're eager to inconvenience someone else.

God cares about us because He made us. He's slow to punish us because He wants us to get saved. To believe in Jesus Christ, His Son. He's being patient for our sake and warning us so we, too, can get saved and not have to drink the cup of wrath that is coming.

Given the lesson God gives Jonah: I think God has every right to feel sorry even for our enemies. God made ALL people: blacks, whites, mexicans, asians, and mixed. God made that cranky coworker who really is not a people's person or that ex that broke your heart. God made my frustrating family that sometimes makes me want to pull out my hair. God made them like He made us and if we are followers of Christ, that means we are to love those people the same way Christ loves them and us.

God is good to both the wicked and the righteous.
And God is our avenger.

That's why He says do not take revenge for He will avenge us. To love our enemies instead and do good to them. Do not take an eye for an eye. Instead, give them food to eat or water to drink. Do not wrong them back. Weather they are annoying coworkers, friends, family, or rude people in the store or on the street, do good to all because we are Christ followers and His city on the hill. People will see His good works through us and praise God for it. Also, we reap what we sow. So sow love and never let loyalty or faithfulness leave you.

Let us press on and persevere.