Enduring mercy love and compassion

 Jonah Goes to Nineveh

Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them. Jonah 3:4-5

The People of Nineveh Repent 

let them call out mightily to God. Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah 3:8-10

Jonah’s Anger and the LORD’S Compassion

​1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, “O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?” Jonah 4:1-4

You pity the plant, for which you did not labour, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?” Jonah 4:10-11

We finish off our journey through the book of Joban. He was rebellious and didn't want to do what the Father called him to do. But when he was about to die the Father rescues Him.

Jonah finally does what he was asked to do but the mercy and compassion of God when it's poured on others Jonah is jealous. Still the Fathers  mercy and compassion ensures Jonah’s comfort. We also like Jonah are ;privileged to have the enduring steadfast love of the Father poured daily into our lives.

The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.

14 The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.

15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.

16 You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.

18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.

20 The LORD preserves all who love him,

 Psalms 145:13-20

Alive because of Him

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10

This week we have read chapter 1 and 2 of the book of Jonah.

Our Father has demonstrated His power, mercy and loving kindness.

Jonah was rebelling and running away, but God came for him and helped him. 

The belly of the fish was rather strong and not so gentle, But Jonah was turned around and brought to a reckoning.

Jonah knew without the Father helping him to the belly of the fish he would have perished. He also knew it was only the Father’s kindness that kept him alive for 3 days in the belly.

He turned and declared Salvation belongs to our God.

We are also assured of His love and kindness for He sent His Son for us that we too would not perish but through Him live.

Our Father is moved by arepentant heart

 17 And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah 1:17

 The waters closed in over me to take my life; the deep surrounded me; weeds were wrapped about my head 6 at the roots of the mountains.

I went down to the land whose bars closed upon me forever; yet you brought up my life from the pit, 

O LORD my God. 7 When my life was fainting away, I remembered the LORD, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.

8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay.

Salvation belongs to the LORD!”

10 And the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land. Jonah 2:5-10

The people in the ship repented and asked God to save them. They then threw Jonah into the sea and the Lord kept him in the belly of the fish for 3 days. I can't help being reminded of our Saviour who was in the grave for 3 days.

We are like Jonah going our own way, often not willing to do the will of the Father. But our Father is always waiting for a repentant heart and willing to give us another chance. Truly only He can save and continue to save because of His steadfast love for us.

We can never flee His presence

 Jonah Flees the Presence of the LORD

​1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. Jonah 1:1-3

But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. Jonah 1:4-5

So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.” Jonah 1:6

We cannot flee the presence of the Lord.even when we attempt our Father pursues us. How foolish to try and run away from the one who is the beginning as we read in John 1. 

The people in the ship after having exhausted all avenues remember Jonah and His God. Jonah is reminded of who He belongs and how powerful He is.

Just like Jonah our Father  pursues us  even when we are doing all to reject Him.

Our Father sacrificed His Son in pursuit of us and through His Spirit He continues and is always present to remind us and point back to the Father.

Living for the Father's glory

 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world 

Father I pray for those you have given me

In the past 2 weeks we have been meditating on John:1 and John:17

Our Lord came to make the Father known to us. We cannot know the Father if we don't know Jesus. Our Lord is both teacher and saviour.

When we choose to follow Jesus, we become His. He is one with the Father therefore we also belong to the Father. 

Christ lived for the glory of the Father , He lived in communion with the Father and this is a lesson to us. Jesus calls us to live for the glory of the Father and in communion with the Father.

Yes we will fail for we are not the Christ but that does not mean we cant seek to emulate our Lord. Remember grace upon grace has been poured out to us and our Lord has prayed and continues to pray for us,

In the following week we journey through book of Jonah as we meditate on grace mercy and salvation.

Christ the Eternal Testimony

 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” John 17:20-26

Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed John 17:1-5

Soon we will be remembering and celebrating the death and resurrection of our Lord. 

The heart and love of God is displayed in the life of our Lord Jesus.  

His life, His Sacrifice is a testimony for eternity.

 A testimony that will for continues to invite us all to His incredible gift of a life lived in God through God and for God,  

And this is eternal life that they know You

 I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. John 17:6-19

Our Lord prays for His disciples as He is about to be arrested and crucified. The heart of our Lord for the people following Him is displayed.

Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed John 17:1-5

Last week we meditated at  how privileged and blessed we are that our Lord came for us. That He came to bring us light and transform our lives and bring us the gift of grace. The gift of eternal life spent with Him.

Our Lord came to fulfil the Fathers will and only through Him can we partake of the Father’s gift of grace. 

This week we continue to meditate at the heart of our Lord Jesus. We the people are at the heart of the Father’s will. 

Grace upon grace

 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. John 1:14-18

We last ended with 

What a wonder that the one who made it all offers Himself for our salvation. The beginning sacrifices Himself to give us an end with Him.

The Word Logos God revealed dwelt among us. 

In our Lord we have received grace and mercy.

In our Lord our Father’s steadfast love and compassion is demonstrated. 

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:3-14

The beginning and The end

 The Word Became Flesh

​1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5

Last week we meditated on how our Lord came to bring light into our world and our lives. 

Today I would like us to meditate on the wonder that the creator came for us. Him that is the beginning came for us. Our Lord coexisted with the Father and He came to teach us about the Father. In Him the heart of the Father is revealed.

We owe our very existence to our Lord. Through Him all came into being.

What a wonder that the one who made it all offers Himself for our salvation. The beginning sacrifices Himself to give us an end with Himself.

Light of the world

 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

John 1:4-5

Our Lord came to bring light into our world and our lives. 

He is the light of all life

He is the light of your life

He is the light of reason; 

He is the light of sense

His light has not been overcome still today and will never be put out. His light shines for us as a beacon of everlasting hope and we can confidently trust in Him. 

Our Saviour lives forever and as we journey the life of faith in Him we are assured of His presence; His guidance; and that He will never leave us in darkness.

This week I would like us to consider the light of our lives and what it means that He came for us.