“Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations.” v.6

Wow, God calls Zechariah and Elizabeth righteous.  They didn’t just do the things God instructed them to do through the law, it was apart of them making them who they were.

It is easy to look religious by saying the right things, doing the right stuff, and even praying great prayers.  That is a good description of how I grew up.  I could pray the prayers and say the right things around the right people, and act religious on Sunday at church, but the rest of the week . . . . my lifestyle didn’t match the person I pretended to be on Sunday.  I could DO what I thought were the right things, but I wasn’t BEING the person God wanted me to BE.  God is way more interested in who I am Becoming, not what I Do.  What I do should be a byproduct of Who I am, not the other way around.

Because of their faithfulness, even though they were very old, God blessed them with a son (John the Baptist) and revealed to them first, the coming of Christ.

Who am I trying to impress?  Am I more concerned about pleasing people (looking good on the outside – doing),  or am I more concerned about pleasing God (looking good on the inside – being)?

“In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” v.1-5

The coming of Jesus changed humankind forever. The reality that God, would come in human form was unheard of. Still today people don’t believe Jesus is who He says He is or that He was Fully God and Fully Human. Throughout scripture Jesus is referred to as light. As His Light pierces through the darkness (sin). When this light shine, we see ourselves as we really are, sinners in need of a savior. The harsh reality is that some people will accept this truth and others will reject it. Some people will come into the light while others may run from it. However, the way we respond to the the Light of Christ, says a lot about what we believe, and who and what we are trying to become!

How am I going to respond to the Light that Jesus shines in my life? Will I run away from it, or allow it to bring to light some of the dark places in my life where sin tends to hide?

“So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” v.14

“This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: ‘Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.’” v. 1-2

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that God can forgive and rescue people that live as if there is no God. For us, we know the people that tend to get under our skin! When we are around them we tend to avoid them, we are short with them, and many times don’t extend grace to them. Jonah was the same way toward the Ninavites. He didn’t like their lifestyle therefore, he couldn’t stand them. They lived as if there was no God.

As people it is easy for us to share the good news with people we think want to hear it. It is harder to share with people that tend to look different, talk different, act different, and even live different than we do. It’s in these times that we have to depend on God’s guidance and power. Jonah went and declared destruction. But God doesn’t bring about the destruction that Jonah declared because the people were repentant, and God withdrew his wrath and extended Grace and Mercy. He does the same thing for us. Instead of giving us what we deserve, He extends to us His Grace and His Mercy.

Have you received Gods Grace and Mercy that is found in Jesus? If you have, are you telling others about the good news of Jesus Christ? If not, why?

God, I am so thankful that you have extend your grace and mercy to me, a sinner who needs it more and more everyday!

“On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: ‘Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!’  The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.”

Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

‘No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all.  People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence.  Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.’” v.4-5; 7-9 (NLT)

Wow, a whole nation changed by the message Jonah didn’t want to share.  From the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, the nation repented of its evil ways.  That is the power that is found in the Could you imagine if this would happen in our churches today, better yet, our nation or world.  It can!

When faithful people start getting passionate about the things of God and sharing their God Heart and their life with the lost, true repentance is likely to happen.  My prayer today is that God to use me to infulence this type of repentance in the arenas of life he has placed me.

“As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.” v.7 (NLT)

Have you ever been here? Maybe you haven’t been in the belly of a fish like Jonah, but have you been in a place of uncomfort or disaster? A place that make you fearful of the outcome, or causes you to panic immediately? I know I have. It’s easy to pray and cry out to God in these situations isn’t it? We want him to rescue us and make things better. As a kid I can remember making deals with God. I would pray something like this, “God if you do this ( ) then I promise I will do ( ).” For me, sometimes the only times I prayed were when bad things happened. My youth pastor or mentor called this the “Spare Tire God” The only time you need a spare tire is when one of the other tires is flat. Sadly thats the way we treat their relationship with God. When bad things, or difficult situations come their way, then they cry out to God for help!

Jonah knew he was running from God. In this prayer in chapter 2 he is just thankful to be alive. God has already rescued Him from drowning, but now he is in the belly of a great big fish. It took this situation to get Jonah’s attention. As he prays, he is thankful and repentant.

Today, I want to be person that talks to God on a regular basis. I don’t want to just talk to him when bad things happen. How about you? Is your prayer life more like the spare tire example, or are you consistently talking to God in the good times as well as the difficult times?

“The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.’

  But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.”      v.1-3 (NLT)

Have you ever ran from a place God was leading you?  How about a conversation God was wanting you to have?  There are several reasons we tend to run in the opposite direction that God leads us.  Sometimes we try to ignore thinking that maybe He will think we didn’t hear him.  Like that is possible!

Jonah was feeling the same way!  God was calling him to preach a message that he believed with all hi heart to a people he couldn’t stand.  Ninivah was evil, and Jonah knew if he went, the city would repent and God would give them grace and mercy.  Why wouldn’t he want to go and tell them then?  Great question!  Probably for many of the same reasons we don’t tell others about the life changing gospel.  Fear, pride, prejudice, and in our case now days, business, political correctness, or doubt that God could really use us.

When God calls us to do something He also empowers us for the task/mission at hand.  We go in His power not our own.  It’s pretty rad that God could use us, to be an agent leading other to a relationship with him.

What, or Where might God be leading you?  Are you stepping out in faith and following Him?  Or, are you pretending like you didn’t hear Him, maybe even running the other way?  Whatever the case, take the step toward Gods leading and leave the details up to Him.  He is big enough to handle it!