“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me†(Jonah 1:2).
Long before Christ was born, Nineveh was a great city. However, the people were very wicked and needed to repent. Jonah knew about their reputation and when God called him to go to Nineveh, his response was the closest thing to “Do I have to?†Jonah had prejudice toward the people of Nineveh. He knew if he warned them of impending judgment, they might just repent. God would be merciful and they wouldn’t be punished for their evil deeds. Jonah felt that just wouldn’t be fair so he was very reluctant to obey God’s command.
Do you ever find yourself being like Jonah when God speaks to your heart? Do you make excuses of why you can’t do His bidding? As the story of Jonah unfolds, you will see how God often finds a way to get a person’s attention. He will make it plain if you will listen and obey when He speaks to you through His Word. He may lead you in one direction and you want to balk and ask, “Do I Have To?†As you go further in your study of Jonah, what kind of predicament will you find yourself in for even thinking the question of today’s devotion? Even when you feel you don’t have the capability for the task God may be calling you to do, He is more interested in your availability and your willingness to trust Him to work out the details.
Sue Winchester
Missouri
PRAY TOGETHER: Pray as Verlin and Debbie Anderson begin their one year stateside assignment in June.
