Contemplative Bible Reading

Some thoughts about Bible verses

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Jonah’s Success (?)

November 19th, 2011 · No Comments

Jonah 3:5 (New International Version 2011)

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.

Jonah is sometimes called the most successful missionary in history. In one day, he converted a city of 120,000 people (see chapter 4 of Jonah for that number).

I recently heard a sermon wherein the speaker used the phrase

Jonah’s success.

I disagree with the phrase (no criticism of the speaker as I think we use this as a figure of speech without great thought. I would rather use the phrase

Jonah’s obedience.

Jonah obeyed the LORD (after a little or a lot of delaying actions). I believe the LORD turned the hearts of the people of Nineveh.

I believe that God asks us to do things (love, spread the gospel, love, care for the poor, love, and love). Our task is to obey. God takes care of the rest (the other 99.9999999…%). (Yes, I know people who obey with the greatest heart and the best of intentions and aren’t any good at what they attempt and need training and guidance in their obedience.)

Often in my life, I have heard Christians refer to an event as “successful” (we met X days and Y people committed to follow Jesus). I, however, prefer to call these events “obedient.” We obeyed, and God took care of the rest.

I look to Jonah as someone who obeyed, and God took care of the rest. I pray that I will do the same.

Tags: Jonah · Old Testament

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