Mercy Commons Podcast

Jonah, the rebel prophet, built a shelter from the hot sun while selfishly waiting for God to destroy Nineveh. Like him, we too, build shelters from the pain rather than engage God. How do we avoid the Jonah trap? Look inward, upward, outward.

The problem: “How to not allow the most significant accomplishments of your life’s work to amount to a devastating emotional and spiritual breakdown.”

When Christian believers care more for their own interests, their own groups security and comfort or their own cause more than for the good and salvation of others, they are sinning like Jonah. 

“There is no such thing as…not worshiping. Everybody worships. The only choice we have is what we choose to worship.” - Wallace

Did Nineveh experience true revival? How does our call as disciples change the city we are in? Sometimes God will use disasters as instruments of mercy. Sometimes he will use negative events to grab our attention. In a world that seeks to medicate our pain, numb it, ignore it, we can miss the message of God. Pain humbles us and opens the door to repentance.

Just like Jonah we have all heard God’s voice to arise, go, and share the Gospel with our neighbors and even our enemies. We must remember we carry a scent and our message carries a scent. The message: no one is innocent, we are all active rebels; we are spiritually impotent; only God can save; no one is beyond God’s grace – even our “Ninevites.” The scent of this message should not be disguised.

Repentance is more than remorse. Repentance begins with embracing reality. However, sin distorts our view. So God brings us to the end of ourselves. Our opinion of our abilities can delay our repentance. Repentance is a lifelong journey home. Remember, Someone greater than Jonah is here! Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer!

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“Sin hardens the conscience, locks you in the prison of your own defensiveness and rationalizations and eats you up slowly from the inside.” ~ Keller

“Each Christian will so consider his neighbor, so consider himself a debtor to his neighbors, because of the image of God in them, that each Christian will exercise kindness toward them and set no other limit than the end of his resources.” ~ Jon Calvin

The temptation, is to put our hope in a new year because it represents a change. That the calendar change will magically make this year better than the last. And my desire is that we don’t see another 2020, but that is not where I put my hope. So what can we do to make 2021 a different year. A more successful year? What can we do to develop the endurance needed to break through the habits and hangups and not have a repeat of the year before? 

I believe the change is a shift in our focus from resolution to commission. 

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God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.

C.S.Lewis

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