Jonah 1:1-17

When Jonah ran away from the Lord, he probably thought he’d escaped an undesirable assignment. But rebellion never makes life better–or easier. Before long, he found himself in an even less pleasant situation: taking a wild ride inside a fish. Two things stand out in this story.

Jonah’s determination to get away. The reluctant prophet boarded a ship going in the opposite direction. Perhaps you’ve had the same problem he had: God’s plans don’t match yours. We can coast along with the Lord in sweet fellowship until the day He asks us to do something we don’t like. That’s the point at which our devotion to Him is tested. If you resist, He will allow a storm to rage in your soul until you submit to His authority.

God’s persistence in going after Him. As a prophet, Jonah was to speak for the Lord. That’s a commitment God takes seriously. When you read through today’s passage, you’ll notice certain actions the Lord took to help Jonah fulfill his obligation–though they’re not the kind we want to experience. He “hurled a great wind on the sea”(v. 4) and “appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah” (v. 17). When we resist God, He will put pressure on us to get our attention and bring us back to Himself. That’s how important we are to Him.

Rebellion carries a high price tag. We lose not only peace and joy but also future opportunities to serve God. Consequences can even reach into eternity. You wouldn’t want to stand before Christ, knowing that disobedience led to loss of eternal rewards. Begin now to obey quickly and fully.

I was on hold the other day trying to schedule an appointment for a hair cut. As I waited for the receptionist, I half-listened to the obligatory recordings. The announcer asked me to consider scheduling a make-over with my upcoming appointment and to make sure I leave with the products that will keep up my new look. (Apparently, when you have a captive audience of customers “muzak” is hardly strategic.)  But I was then caught off guard by a question: “What do the local communities of Chad, Africa, mean to you?”  The answer he offered was as immediate as my inability to think of one:  “Chad is a leading producer of organic acacia gum, the vital ingredient in a new line of products exclusively produced for and available at our salon.”

In a culture dominated by consumption, the commodification of everything around us is becoming more and more of an unconscious worldview. Thus, when we think of Chad, we can think of our favorite shampoo and its connection with our hair salon. The land where it came from, the conditions of its production, and the community or laborers who produce it are realities wholly disassociated with the commodity. Like soap and luggage, the nation of Chad can become just one of the many commodities within our consumer mindset.

As I put down the phone, I couldn’t help but wonder about Amos’s description of those who are “at ease in Zion.” How at ease do you have to be to begin to see the world in commodities?

In fact, at the time of Amos’s words, Israel itself was at one of its most opulent junctures. They had expanded their territory in more than one direction. Their winter palaces were adorned with ivory and their feasts were lacking nothing. They could be heard singing songs to the sound of the harp and seen anointing themselves with the finest of oils. It was in such affluence that the shepherd Amos proclaimed indomitably: “Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria” (Amos 6:1).

Though unpopular words to voice, Amos’s omen is far from isolated in ancient Scripture. While Amos compares the drunken women of Israel to the fat cows of Bashan, Micah describes the rich as men full of violence, and Jeremiah cites those with wealth and power as those who grow fat and sleek. Likewise, in the book of Revelation, the church that God wants to spit out of his mouth is the one who has “acquired wealth and needs nothing,” the one who has not realized that they are “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Revelation 3:17).

As G.K. Chesterton once noted, “Alas, it is impossible to have any sort of debate over whether or not Jesus believed that rich people were in big trouble—there is too much evidence on the subject and it is overwhelming.”(1) The pervasiveness of this evidence makes for a rough entry into the ongoing debate about the morality of affluence among Western Christians. Like Chesterton, I am at times uncomfortably aware at whom the words of Christ were aimed: I am the rich Christian to whom Jesus speaks bluntly.

I am also among the crowd he takes the time and care to caution. Among his many words about money, Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a person’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

How then might we live in a world of affluence? How might we fight the all-pervading atmosphere of consumerism and the attitude of commodification around us? How might we learn again to see our neighbors when they have become invisible behind our mountains of stuff? There is good reason for unrelenting words against the greed that turns communities into commodities and souls into consumers. There is similarly good reason that Christ has called the poor in spirit blessed, for those who cling to the Father know it is God alone they can eternally hold. We were not made to be at ease in Zion any more than we were made in the image of commodity. We were made in the image of God.

This God we now faintly resemble never sleeps or slumbers, perhaps in part because the suffering among us never sleep or slumber. It is this God who calls us to follow and to deny ourselves, to consider the “treasures” that might block our vision of God—as well as our vision of our neighbor. There are none seen as commodities in the eyes of the Creator; there are but children with the eyes of their Father.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) As quoted by Arthur Simon in “What Was That About the Rich Man?” Books & Culture, March 1, 2004.

Morning “The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.” / Psalm
33:13

Perhaps no figure of speech represents God in a more gracious light than when
he is spoken of as stooping from his throne, and coming down from heaven to
attend to the wants and to behold the woes of mankind. We love him, who, when
Sodom and Gomorrah were full of iniquity, would not destroy those cities until
he had made a personal visitation of them. We cannot help pouring out our
heart in affection for our Lord who inclines his ear from the highest glory,
and puts it to the lip of the dying sinner, whose failing heart longs after
reconciliation. How can we but love him when we know that he numbers the very
hairs of our heads, marks our path, and orders our ways? Specially is this
great truth brought near to our heart, when we recollect how attentive he is,
not merely to the temporal interests of his creatures, but to their spiritual
concerns. Though leagues of distance lie between the finite creature and the
infinite Creator, yet there are links uniting both. When a tear is wept by
thee, think not that God doth not behold; for, “Like as a father pitieth his
children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” Thy sigh is able to move
the heart of Jehovah; thy whisper can incline his ear unto thee; thy prayer
can stay his hand; thy faith can move his arm. Think not that God sits on high
taking no account of thee. Remember that however poor and needy thou art, yet
the Lord thinketh upon thee. For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose
heart is perfect towards him.

Oh! then repeat the truth that never tires;

No God is like the God my soul desires;

He at whose voice heaven trembles, even he,

Great as he is, knows how to stoop to me.

Evening “Go again seven times.” / 1 Kings 18:43

Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have
pleaded month after month without evidence of answer, it is not possible that
the Lord should be deaf when his people are earnest in a matter which concerns
his glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God, and
never for a moment gave way to a fear that he should be non-suited in
Jehovah’s courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word
was spoken but “Go again.” We must not dream of unbelief, but hold to our
faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from
Carmel’s brow, and if nothing is beheld, she sends again and again. So far
from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is animated to plead more
fervently with her God. She is humbled, but not abashed: her groans are
deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or
stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy
answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive, and to find it good
to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart
searching itself, and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: deadly
blows are thus struck at our corruption, and the chambers of imagery are
cleansed. The great danger is lest men should faint, and miss the blessing.
Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue in prayer and watching. At
last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain, and
even so with you, the token for good shall surely be given, and you shall rise
as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man of
like passions with us: his power with God did not lie in his own merits. If
his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood
with unceasing importunity, and it shall be with you according to your desire.

And he said, ‘go again,’ seven times.   1 Kings 18:43

Success is certain when the Lord has promised it. Although you may have pleaded month after month without evidence of response, it is not possible that the Lord should be deaf when His people are serious about a matter that concerns His glory. The prophet on the top of Carmel continued to wrestle with God and never for a moment gave way to the fear that he would not be suited for Jehovah’s courts. Six times the servant returned, but on each occasion no word was spoken but “Go again.”

We must not dream of unbelief but hold to our faith even to seventy times seven. Faith sends expectant hope to look from Carmel’s peak, and if nothing is seen, she sends again and again. So far from being crushed by repeated disappointment, faith is quickened to plead more fervently with her God. She is humbled but not crushed: Her groans are deeper, and her sighings more vehement, but she never relaxes her hold or stays her hand. It would be more agreeable to flesh and blood to have a speedy answer, but believing souls have learned to be submissive and to find it good to wait for as well as upon the Lord. Delayed answers often set the heart searching itself and so lead to contrition and spiritual reformation: Deadly blows are then struck at our corruption, and the sinful images are cleansed. The great danger is that men should faint and miss the blessing.

Reader, do not fall into that sin, but continue to watch and pray. At last the little cloud was seen, the sure forerunner of torrents of rain; and even so with you, the token for good will surely be given, and you will rise as a prevailing prince to enjoy the mercy you have sought. Elijah was a man with passions just like us: His power with God did not lie in his own merits. If his believing prayer availed so much, why not yours? Plead the precious blood with unceasing persistence, and it will be with you according to your desire.

Family Reading Plan   Ezekiel 31   Psalm 79