Reluctant Obedience

Jonah 3: Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ² “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

³ Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. ⁴ Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” ⁵ The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

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“Shovel your neighbor’s snow” was the message given to me when I was frantically busy. I mean I had to do something important! After complaining a while, I reluctantly gave in. The next day it snowed again, even harder. “Shovel your neighbor’s snow on both sides of you” was the message this time. “Really?! This will take twice as long!”

• There have been times when GOD has given me directions that I did not want to follow.
• There have been times when GOD has spoken directly to me and I found out ways not to obey.
• There have been times when GOD has given me a directive and I chose to do something different.

Jonah was vomited ashore by a fish after praying for three days. Covered with seaweed and stench, he went to a group of murderers he hated with a passion and preached the message GOD told him. The Ninevites believed in GOD that day.

• GOD sends me to people who are open to HIS message.
• GOD tells me to do HIS bidding even when it doesn’t seem as convenient.
• GOD gives me a message to give to others and sometimes I don’t want to pass on the message.

People say to me “How do you know GOD is speaking to you?” When I hear a message that would be beneficial to someone else, grow GOD’s kingdom and I don’t feel like doing it, that’s when I know GOD is speaking to me. “Give that person your last dollar”, “Stay late and help the person who blames you”, “Shovel the snow when you are busy” are examples of GOD speaking to me at the “wrong” time but not “wrong” at all.

GOD has a way of “testing” my obedience. I don’t me a pass / fail test, I mean a test under fire to strengthen me. HE challenges me to believe in HIM and obey what HE wants me to do. Usually HE has me doing something I don’t want to, but when I obey, I can definitely see the fruit of HIS kingdom.

• What is GOD saying to you today?
• Are you fighting GOD when HE is telling you something to do?
• Will you stop fighting GOD and allow HIM to do a marvelous work through you?