v. 6 "Then the Lord God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine."
Many of us rely on the comfort of our surroundings, if there is a massive change then our emotions will be on a roller coaster until we adjust to our new situation. Where ever you go you will hear people complain that it's too hot or too cold, too wet or too dry, too desolate or too crowded, too boring or too busy. I know that these are general topics that people talk about, but when we become affected by them and it rules us then it goes beyond polite conversation. I am guilty of being an emotional roller coaster rider. Feelings have too much of an influence on how I behave. This is one of the many things I need to work on. In one moment we can be so happy and it only takes a phone call to devastate our hearts. Let's all try to stay on level ground even when all round us there are steep mountains and treacherous craters.
"The Hebrew noun translated "calamity" in 4:2 is the same word translated "discomfort" in 4:6." Priscilla Shirer God might have allowed Jonah to experience some of the distress that He withheld from Nineveh. Jonah is one of the most interesting characters in the Bible. At first he ran away then when he did obey, he was just going through the motions. Think of the miracle of being swallowed by a fish for a few days then being spit up on land. This man was a man of God and he was a rule follower so when God asked him something that was outside his rule book he resisted even though he knew he should follow what God had commanded him to do.
We should be comfortable in God, not what is going on all around us.
No comments:
Post a Comment