Nothing brings perspective like the truth. And though the truth is hard to hear, and even harder to say at times, it is the best way to gain perspective on any issue. The truth is how God brought Jonah to the correct perspective. Sure, it … Read More
Justly Angry or Just Angry?
God asks 3 questions in Jonah 4, and 2 of them are somewhat similar because they both involve the issue of anger. Essentially, God asked Jonah, “Do you have a right [just casue] to be angry?” Sure, he was referring to Jonah’s anger towards God … Read More
chanCe and chanGe
One of the intriguing things I find in Jonah occurs obscurely in the beginning of chapter three. As Jonah hears the word of the Lord a second time (another chanCe), he is expected to do things differently (a chanGe). And I can’t help but think … Read More
My Kind of Prayer
Though I like the way Jonah prayed in Jonah 2:1 (“prayed”), I love the way he prayed in 2:2 (“called”). Let me explain. The Hebrew word “pray” in 2:1 has more of an official sense to it. Nothing wrong with this kind of praying (like … Read More
American Idol
Fox’s hit show “American Idol” just kicked off another season, and the title is more fitting to our country than most of us realize. Sure, Fox is spotlighting the next hidden music star – thus the title – but most of us do far more … Read More
The End is Where It Begins
God hears us best when we are at our worst. And I’m sure the belly of a great fish was the worst praying environment Jonah could imagine. Yet, it was exactly where he needed to be: the end of his rope. That’s where God wants … Read More
Ways We Run
Running from God isn’t always easy to spot. It’s not like we wear a sign that says, “Running from God. Watch out!” So what does it look like in 2009? Perhaps we run by staying busy. You know, the ole’ overcommitted syndrome. Or maybe running … Read More
Why We Run (2)
When we run from God, it reveals something about us. It is an outward indication that something is wrong inside. What was Jonah running from? What was he afraid of? Success! And I don’t mean an external type of “I made it” image. I’m talking … Read More
Why We Run
What made Jonah run from God? Think about it – when he heard God call, he went the opposite direction of the place to which he was called. And fast! He ran from God’s will, not to God’s will. Without going into the details of … Read More