A Small, But Important Word!

 

            I once had a second-grade student whose constant reply was, “But, teacher…” whenever he was asked to do something. It often took quite a bit of convincing! “Aw, man!” he would say as he reluctantly obeyed.

 While reading the Old Testament book of Jonah this week, the word “but” kept showing up. I was reminded of my teaching days when a common complaint was, “But teacher, it’s too hard.”

  In Jonah’s case, the word appeared just after he had received orders from God to travel to the city of Nineveh about 500 miles away. God’s orders to Jonah were not easy, involving a long, arduous journey to the capital of Assyria, a nation that was hostile to Israel.

Once he got to Nineveh, his message was to be prophetic:  God was about to judge the city for its wickedness. Repent! The idea that God was going to give the people there, his enemies, a chance to repent made Jonah mad!

This is where the word “but” came in. “But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.” (1:3)

 Instead of going obediently, Jonah decided to run away from God. It was a futile thing to do with an all-knowing, ever-present, all-powerful God. When a terrible storm struck the ship, the sailors were terrified; but Jonah was sound asleep below the deck.  The likelihood of the ship’s capsizing was great; so as a last resort, Jonah was awakened and asked to pray to His God for help.

Jonah, preferring death over going to Ninevah, told them to just throw him overboard and the storm would calm down. So they did…and it did… and then the unexpected happened. “But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.” (1:17)  

That was enough to convince Jonah to change his mind about obeying God. After the “great fish” had spit him back up on land, God gave him the same orders. Jonah went to Ninevah!

After he arrived, he walked through the city preaching repentance. The results were amazing, with the people of Ninevah, from the king down to the least of them, being convicted of sinning against God and repenting, turning from their wicked ways.

“But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.” (4:1) Rather than being happy about their repentance, Jonah was distressed that God relented against sending His judgment upon them, so distressed that he prayed for God to take his life.

Getting right to the point, the Lord asked Jonah if he had “any right to be angry.” (4:4, 10) There were more than 120,000 people in that city, people whom God loved and cared enough about that He would send someone with a warning and a chance for salvation.  What a contrast between God’s character of love, patience and compassion and the prophet’s stubborn nature, often unloving! I could identify with Jonah.

 There have been times in my life when I have used excuses and have resisted the Lord’s will, in the area of forgiveness for example. What if I was only ten percent wrong and the other person 90 percent? Did I still have to ask that person to forgive me for the ten percent? Or extend forgiveness for the wrongs done to me?  “But, Lord…”

Then there’s the temptation to complain, especially after surgery. I know that I should be grateful for all the wonderful answers to prayer. “But can’t I gripe a little bit or maybe just complain to myself?”  

Another memory—this one of a young student who was disciplined for disruptive behavior. Afterward, he said with a doleful look on his face, “Teacher I try to be good, but it’s too hard!”

Contrast this with Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane on the night of His betrayal: “Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet, not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

 And there’s the difference. Jesus chose to carry out the Father’s will, even when it meant death on a cross. Are we willing to follow Him in obedience and faith? God help us!

(All verses from NIV Study Bible. Bold-faced print added.)

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Have a blessed Holy Week, dear friends. I'll write again before Easter. Would love to hear your comments. Judy