Devotionals

Whose Mouth Speaks?

by Tracy Nunes 
12/17/20
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Jonah.  You know him.  He’s that Sunday School character swallowed by the whale…er, fish. We remember how Jonah disobeyed God, got swallowed, finally obeyed and Ninevah repented.  But in between those bookends, a story emerges of God speaking and working through people who don’t know Him. Jonah, on the other hand, knew God, and heard Him, but did a 180 when given specific instructions:

Jonah 1:2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and cry out against it, because their wickedness has come up before Me.”  Jonah fled the other way.

When the storm arose, the pagan sailors immediately recognized it was no ordinary tempest and seriously sought the remedy.

Jonah 1:8 Then they said to him, “Tell us, now! On whose account has this catastrophe struck us? What is your occupation, and where do you come from? What is your country, and from what people are you?”

Was God reminding Jonah who he was through the mouths of unbelievers? How did these men respond? They immediately repented.

Jonah 1:16 Then the men became extremely afraid of the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.

But what about Jonah? Even after being in the storm and the belly of the great fish, he gave God lip-service prayer, never really repenting for his sin. After finally going to Nineveh, Jonah preaches with no real concern for the lost people he sees, more concerned about his physical comfort than obeying God or caring about the lost ones God loves.

There is pain and death all around us these days. Will we be religious, looking out for our own skin, blocking out the voice of God? Will we flee His presence? Or will we be an instrument in His hands and speak His words of life?

Lord, I pray that I hear you today and obey.  That you don’t have to appoint a fish or an unbeliever to bring me to my knees. Give me your heart of love.

All scripture from NASB.

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