Spirit of Jonah

What do you do when God calls you to something so big and amazingly huge? It makes me feel even smaller and less equipped. Today, I am wrestling with those feelings of unworthiness and wondering why He would choose little ole’ me for such an enormous and important task. 

I keep coming back to Jonah. God asked Jonah to go to the great city of Ninevah. The inhabitants of Ninevah were continually committing evil acts, and Jonah wanted God to destroy the city. He was angry that God would even consider giving them an opportunity to repent.  So instead of going where he was told to go, he went in the opposite direction. 

Of course we know the story – the ship he was on almost became lost in a horrible storm until the crew threw Jonah overboard. Then God made a giant fish to swallow up Jonah and for three days in the belly of the fish, Jonah was able to repent of his disobedience. I suppose spending 72 hours in a giant fish’s gullet would cause anyone to repent, but the task was not in Jonah’s heart.  When he was spit out onto land again, he did what he was told, but he was not happy about it.

Then to make matters even harder for him, as soon as Jonah said what God told him to, all of the people of Ninevah repented. Talk about ticked!  Jonah wanted God to destroy these evil people, and here God was giving them another chance.  Jonah was one unhappy camper. God tried to teach him with the gourd vine about his place in God’s plans. I imagine Jonah still didn’t really like the outcome.

Okay, so what caused the people of Ninevah to repent?  Certainly not because Jonah had a heart of love and compassion to help them see the goodness of God. It had to be the Spirit of the Lord that took the veil from their eyes.

I am praying for that same spirit—the spirit that was upon Jonah—to go before me.  Unlike Jonah, I do have compassion for the people I am called to wake up. I care about them, and I want only good for them. But it will take an anointing from God to open eyes and help hearts heal--really seeing what He wants them to see.

It is not about me. It never has been. I hope whoever is reading this will stand with me in this giant task ahead. May the spirit that was upon Jonah spread over the people I am sent to and may eyes be opened to truth as we work together to heal our land.