Worship

 When I was growing up, we'd go over to my grandparents house on Saturday nights to listen to music.  My grandpa had a music room in his basement where he and his friends would play everything from gospel to country.  My brother, sister, and I would run around and dance.  It was such a special time that I will forever treasure!  Music was happy, upbeat, and joyful.  

My own children and I used to crank up the worship music and dance around as we cleaned the house.  My youngest would grab his guitar and pretend to play along.  Music is such an experience that touches our souls and causes us to move physically and emotionally. 

Then, when we go to church, where is our passion in worship?  Are we truly singing to the creator of the universe or just merely calling out words?  If I can be excited about worship when I am at home, what should change when I am at church?

I decided not to let church hinder my worship.  I won't run or dance in circles, because I don't want to distract others, but I will raise my hands.  I will sing to a holy Father with my hands raised and my heart prepared.  

What will heaven be like?  Will we bow down in worship, hearts and hands lifted to our creator, or will we stand politely, arms folded, lip syncing the words?  Our prayers and our worship could use some powerful, thirsty cries from our heats.  Worship like you mean it.  Worship like you are thirsty for Almighty God.  We need it. 

Jonah

 Jonah was told to go to Ninevah and warn the people there about their wickedness.  Not sharing God's compassion for his enemies, Jonah decided to go a different direction.  He looked like he was obeying in the beginning....going to the docks, looking for a boat and all.  Then he dodged and went the opposite direction.  What was Jonah thinking on his walk to the boat?  Was he analyzing the risks?  Mulling over the bitterness he felt towards Nivevites?  Reasoning that maybe God hadn't actually told him to go to THAT particular people group?  Or did Johan decide in his heart that the strangers were simply not worth it?  They were far away and not his friends.  Instead of following God, Jonah decided to disobey and run from God. 

Silly Jonah, you cannot hide from God.  He knows exactly where you are--physically and spiritually. In his heart was disobedience. Now, at some point Jonah was not disobedient.  He heard God, so he had to have been listening for God's instructions.  He was tuned in.  Did God know that Jonah would flee?  Sure!  This was a time for Jonah to grow in his obedience to God.  

The astonishing thing to me is that the sailors actually let Jonah on the boat.  He told them that he was running from God and they apparently did not care.  I don't think I'd help someone who is trying to go AWOL on God.  Ephesians 5:6 says, "Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient.  Therefore, do not be partners with them."  These sailors were fine with Jonah until God sent a violent storm upon them.  Then they tried to appease God.  When nothing worked, they gave in and threw Jonah overboard.  

This is where the giant fish comes in.....

It's dark.  It's stinky.  It smells of rotten fish and sin.  Jonah sits all alone in the depths of the ocean.  Here, he is repentant.  Here we see his heart.  He was crying out to God and thanking Him for not letting him drown in the sea.  Jonah's first words were, "In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me.  From the depths o the grave I called for help and you listened to my cry."

It had seemed like all hope was gone for Jonah.  No where to go but up, right?  He had disobeyed, tried to hide, and was residing in the belly of a fish.  God, in His infinite patience, heard Jonah's cry and listened to his heart.  He gave Jonah a second chance to obey.  It wasn't pretty.  Jonah was vomited onto the land by the fish....not exactly on anyone's bucket list, I'd imagine. 

Jonah goes to Nineveh and preached to the people.  They cried out in repentance, turned from their ways, and worshiped God.  The Ninevites were blessed because Jonah obeyed.  Jonah not only learned obedience, but that God offers salvation to everyone...even his enemies.  However, he wasn't so happy about it.  How dare God save those people from destruction?  It's not fair!  Jonah proclaimed that the Lord was "...gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity."  He could not reason that the same God who saved him also wanted to save his enemies.  When the book ends, Jonah is a contender for the academy award for best dramatic performance.  Not really, but he is so angry that he wants to die.  I think he forgot about his time in the belly of the whale.  God reminds him that He is in charge.  Not Jonah.  A sort of "You're not the boss of the world." moment.  Then the book ends.  

What ever happened to Jonah?  Who knows?  You see, the book is not about Jonah.  It's about God.  His will.  His mercy.  His plan of salvation for all people.  Salvation for the Ninevites (as well as for us) required that we stop our wicked ways, cry out to God to forgive us, and worship Him with all of our obedience.  

When we are sinking in sin, we need to cry out to God to save us, not run away from Him.  When we are saved, we need to continue to worship God with our heart, pray for our enemies (ouch!) and walk in obedience to whatever God calls us to do.