Morning Devotional January 8, 2017

Jonah 4:1-3

“But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.”

O what a sad sort we are. We read of Jonah and his rebel against God and how he was angry because God took him to Nineveh instead of Tarshish. Jonah desired the easy way of Tarshish and did not want to deal with the great sins of the people of Nineveh.

How many times have we sought to go with the righteous and not with the unrighteous? As God's people we often times think we have a right to take what seems to be the easy path through life. Yet our Lord may have other ideas and a much different plan than we would have. O how we often forget who is in charge. O how we often forget our life is to be lived for the glory of God and not for ourselves.

Often times we are lead down a path by our Lord that we would not wish on our worst enemy. But God, in His grace and mercy guides us and leads us through some of the most difficult trials we can imagine. All the while teaching us lessons that will become more valuable than any earthly wealth. Lessons that will last a life time. Lessons that will take us through the fire and refine us to be honorable vessels for His service.

O how would should praise God for these trials!!! When God uses us to bless others or to spread His Word in places we would not have gone on our own, we must give Him the praise and the glory for it all!!! Even if those He has sent us to don't seem to listen or care. We must praise Him for it all!!!

Praise ye the Lord!!!

 

Stephen McCool Sr.