Quizás nunca seremos llamados a predicar la Palabra en la ciudad de Nínive, pero hoy todos tenemos que tomar una decisión. Al igual que Jonás, podemos elegir estar enojados y amargados por algo sobre lo que no teníamos control…. O podemos optar por orar. Y perdona. Y no perder la esperanza. Porque, a fin de cuentas, no somos mejores que los ninivitas. TODOS hemos pecado y no hemos alcanzado lo que Dios quiere para nuestras vidas. Afortunadamente, todos tenemos un Señor que nos ama más de lo que merecemos. “ El Señor no tarda en cumplir su promesa, como algunos entienden la lentitud. Él es paciente con vosotros, no queriendo que nadie perezca, sino que todos procedan al arrepentimiento. ... Tengan en cuenta que la paciencia de nuestro Señor significa salvación…” 2 Pedro 3 La pregunta es: ¿realmente amamos a nuestro hermano lo suficiente como para estar dispuestos a sacrificar nuestros derechos, nuestra libertad, nuestra comodidad... si eso es lo que se necesita para llevarlos a Cristo? La luz siempre brilla más en la oscuridad de la noche.
Ir a los comentarios (25)Todos recordamos la historia de Jonás y el pez... pero fácilmente nos olvidamos de Jonás y el gusano.
Hoy envié pedidos mientras escuchaba un discurso pronunciado por un hombre que muchos creían que no se merecía honestamente el privilegio de estar allí.
Y me sentí... enojado. Y herido. Y traicionado.
Me enojó que a una administración empeñada en abortar bebés, destruir familias y redefinir la Verdad se le entregaran las riendas para hacer precisamente eso.
Me sentí traicionado por la censura y el engaño que se utilizan para manipular al pueblo estadounidense, y que no hubo ninguna revelación relámpago de verdad y justicia.
Estuve pensando en esto durante la mayor parte del día. Me aferré a mi justa ira con todo el celo que pude reunir.
Hasta que me di cuenta...
Soy como Jonás. (Bueno, no he pasado tres días en el vientre de un pescado. Pero sí cené pescado, así que... huelo un poco a él de todos modos).
Y, como Jonás, en el fondo... no quería que se les mostrara misericordia y gracia.
Sólo quería justicia y verdad.
Y me molestó mucho que no sucediera de esa manera.
Más que eso, me avergüenza admitir... Habría preferido ver que se hiciera justicia que ver corazones arrepentidos vueltos a Jesús... salvados por la Gracia.
“ Cuando la advertencia de Jonás llegó al rey de Nínive, éste se levantó de su trono, se quitó sus vestiduras reales, se cubrió de cilicio y se sentó en el polvo. Esta es la proclama que emitió en Nínive:
“Por decreto del rey y de sus nobles:
No dejéis que las personas ni los animales, ni las manadas ni los rebaños, prueben nada; no les dejes comer ni beber. Pero que las personas y los animales se cubran de cilicio. Que todos invoquen urgentemente a Dios. Que abandonen sus malos caminos y su violencia. ¿Quién sabe? Dios aún puede apaciguarse y apartarse con compasión de su furia para que no perezcamos”.
Cuando Dios vio lo que hicieron y cómo se apartaron de sus malos caminos, cedió y no trajo sobre ellos la destrucción que había amenazado.
Pero a Jonás esto le pareció muy malo y se enojó. Oró al Señor: “¿No es esto lo que dije, Señor, cuando todavía estaba en casa? Eso es lo que traté de evitar huyendo a Tarsis. Sabía que eres un Dios misericordioso y compasivo, lento para la ira y grande en amor, un Dios que cede en enviar calamidades. Ahora, Señor, quítame la vida, porque es mejor para mí morir que vivir”.
Pero el Señor respondió: “¿Te conviene enojarte? "
Jonás había salido y se había sentado en un lugar al oriente de la ciudad. Allí se hizo un refugio, se sentó a su sombra y esperó a ver qué pasaba con la ciudad. Entonces el Señor Dios proveyó una planta frondosa y la hizo crecer sobre Jonás para darle sombra a su cabeza y aliviar su malestar, y Jonás estaba muy feliz por la planta. Pero al amanecer del día siguiente Dios proveyó un gusano, que masticó la planta hasta que se marchitó. Cuando salió el sol, Dios proporcionó un viento abrasador del este, y el sol ardió sobre la cabeza de Jonás, de modo que se desmayó. Quería morir y dijo: "Más vale para mí morir que vivir".
Pero Dios le dijo a Jonás: "¿Te conviene enojarte por la planta?"
“Lo es”, dijo. "Y estoy tan enojado que desearía estar muerto".
Pero el Señor dijo: “Os habéis preocupado por esta planta, aunque no la cuidasteis ni la hicisteis crecer. Nació de la noche a la mañana y murió de la noche a la mañana. ¿Y no debería preocuparme por la gran ciudad de Nínive, en la que hay más de ciento veinte mil personas que no pueden distinguir su mano derecha de su izquierda, y también muchos animales?
Corrie Ten Boom habló una vez ante una multitud sobre el amor de Dios. Después, uno de los guardias más malvados del campo de concentración se acercó a ella y le pidió perdón porque, dijo, si ella podía perdonarlo por lo que había hecho, seguramente Dios también podría perdonarlo.
Quizás nunca seamos llamados a predicar la Palabra en la ciudad de Nínive o a perdonar a nuestros malvados captores, pero todos tenemos una decisión que tomar hoy.
Sí, nuestra querida y hermosa planta puede tener un gusano masticando su tallo.
Sí, nuestra planta podría marchitarse y morir.
Y sí, puede resultar abrasador y miserable.
Pero, como Jonás, podemos elegir estar enojados y amargados por algo sobre lo que no teníamos control….
O podemos optar por orar.
Y perdona.
Y no perder la esperanza.
Porque, a fin de cuentas, no somos mejores que los ninivitas.
TODOS hemos pecado y no hemos alcanzado lo que Dios quiere para nuestras vidas.
Afortunadamente, todos tenemos un Señor que nos ama más de lo que merecemos.
“ El Señor no tarda en cumplir su promesa, como algunos entienden la lentitud. Él es paciente con vosotros, no queriendo que nadie perezca, sino que todos procedan al arrepentimiento. ... Tengan en cuenta que la paciencia de nuestro Señor significa salvación…”
2 Pedro 3
La pregunta es: ¿realmente amamos a nuestro hermano lo suficiente como para estar dispuestos a sacrificar nuestros derechos, nuestra libertad, nuestra comodidad... si eso es lo que se necesita para llevarlos a Cristo?
La luz siempre brilla más en la oscuridad de la noche.
Jonás y el gusano. Y yo. Y tú. Y Nínive.
Comentarios (25)
AMEN sister!! WE certainly do have a Lord that loves us much more than we deserve.
Love your words.
Thank you and keep it up!
Your desire for introspection is commendable, unusual, but so beneficial. I wish more folks would look at the world through the lens of Biblical truth. God is in control and can work through whomever he chooses to bring about His will. We are charged to prayer for all involved. We are in this together.
Well put! And I’m with you. I ache for our nation and cringe at what has happened- but I just read in Isaiah 45:7 “I form the light and create darkness; I make peace and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” And later…. 9: Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker. …..So He has not been thwarted in His purposes or outfoxed by His adversaries. Our battle is not against flesh and blood , but against powers and principalities of darkness.so shine on Sister- shine on! If God is with us – who can stand against us? But if we are ever in prison together let’s do sing! And meanwhile I love the rnd of that verse where God adds ‘ “and many animals.” Yes – He even cares for the sparrows and and donkeys! Love from your fellow donkey loving, disgruntled, trying to trust Jesus with wild abandon, ragamuffin Sister in Christ Jesus, Shannon LaMonica
It breaks my heart to see the direction our country is going. Yes I would like nothing better than the far left to see the light, find God and just with their words and change for the better of our country and children. It sadden me when our president did not get the election he deserved. It bothers me for my children, grandchildren and our generations coming up. I want them to be able to worship freely, be safe in their homes and on the streets. Most of all I want them to enjoy freedom and a nation under God. Nothing would make me more happy than to see them repent, be honest, work for our country and children , not encourage and pass laws to promote behavior we all know is a sin. Yes, my family and I have been praying for our country and for God to put leaders in place that will bring us back to a nation under God.
Thank you for expressing your feelings, which many days mirror my own frustrations. However, I am reminded that God’s plans are always perfect & that He has our nation (and the whole world) in His hands. Blessings & Prayers
What a beautiful message sweet friend! It’s so hard to see so much evil about us. Something I read that made me think. In times past people repented and turned to God after they saw Christians suffer and In their suffering they still remained faithful to God and loving to others. If that be the case we are going to have to suffer through this and hopefully, prayerfully people will repent! 🙂
Last quote: The light always shines brightest in the dark of night. I pray to God that the light continues to shine during the dark times.
Thank you for your inspiring words!! We truly need them now and THIS reminder! Love you sweet friend!❤
I like your sense of humor and I appreciate what you are saying. However, I am not as good a person as you. I prayed for 8 years under Obama/BIden that it wouldn’t keep getting worse, yet daily it did. Then the light came and whenever the light moves the Devil moves against it. We have seen that as again and again the deep state has moved against conservative values and blatantly attacked Trump. Now we are where Germany was pre and during WWII with so many people willing to be tolerant for the sake of Safety. They haven’t even bothered to change the wording. They are attacking conservatives everywhere. I am angry, depressed, and despondant. I prayed for 8 years before Obama that God would protect my children and yet the courts served them up to their father to be abused with more and more time with their father. The result is 3 severely damaged adults. I know God answers prayers but not always in the way we think He should. I do wish however that it was over. Waiting for the gas is horrible and I’m tired of fighting. I have spent a huge part of my life standing against the storm and I don’t have the strength to keep going. I’m still praying for forgiveness because I can’t forgive Pedophiles and we have the most blatant pedophile as the head of our country in addition to being ownded/controlled by China. Welcome to the United Republic of China’s America.
Great message! Totally agree.
Ur message was wonderful. Forwarded to many friends. I will buy ur products for presents all year. Love my better than botox
Excellent reminder for all of us. Thank you!
Saundra, I love how you put things in perspective. I too was angry about who is going to lead our country. I just decided to leave it in God’s hands & take one day at a time. God Bless you & your family.❤
Bravo and very well said! It mirrors my sentiments perfectly. This election was so tragically marred with deceit and blatant manipulation it makes me physically ill and ashamed to be an American!
There is much evil, manipulation and outright crime being perpetrated against the American people by the American people. Large amounts of money have been paid to other countries (China, Russia, etc) in this effort of mass deceit! In turn, China, Taiwan have paid our main stream News outlets to preach one-sided propaganda and basically castrate the TRUTH!
We, as the insignificant, lowly American peasants, so to speak, have NO voice and NO rights to oppose these atrocities. So what’s left?
God IS our TRUTH! Our Lord and Savior IS the LIGHT, PROTECTION, CALM and COMFORT. Pray and pray often for your families, friends, neighbors, strangers and yes, your enemies, that they, too, might find their way home and be saved.
May you find peace and hope in this calamity we’re living and may the Lord protect and heal those in need. In Jesus’ Holy Name I ask this. Amen
Amen sister! I will try to be tolerant and pray and have faith. I will do what I can (vote) and trust the Lord after that. I will not listen, too much, to corrupted news. I will work and pray and enjoy life, as usual.
But I do need more cute farm pics in my life!!!!
This is SO good! Yesterday, as I was grieving for our nation, I told my children that we needed to pray. My 6-year old immediately asked, “Why?” And I told him that we were getting a new president. He asked what that meant and I told him it meant we were getting a new leader, so we needed to pray. Innocently, he said, “For his safety?” And it caught me up short. Because, although that is most definitely NOT what I was intending to do, he reminded me that I SHOULD do that. Because, ultimately, it’s about winning souls for Christ, not preserving my comforts. That is not to say that we should be passive or just roll over while our rights are stripped away from us, or agendas are being shoved down our throats, or morals are thrown out the window. No, we need to be righteously BOLD. But, we also need to remember what we’re here for. So, thank you for this timely reminder. God Bless!
Thank You for your words of encouragement
Good Morning! So blessed to read this. I am currently on day 20 of a 21 day fast and also battling covid 19. Yesterday was such a sad day. I was able to watch church online and hear my pastor speak about the necessity to pray for the new leaders and how we don’t change as believers. God is still in control and he would want us to continue being the salt. I also watched Behold Israel and Amir reminded us to share the gospel.
I am truly amazed to read your post, it is so true and I hope that it reaches many. I am blessed by your words this morning.
God bless you all at Dulcededonke ! Shalom!
Yolanda
AMEN!! This was just what I needed!! Thank you and Bless you!!!
Wow! Thank you for the reminder; I, too, am frustrated and thankful for folks like you.
Thank you for such an inspiring post. I too have experienced the same feelings but you are right! We must pray for all because I’m positive that the bugle will ring loud & clear soon!!
Thank you for your post. We are not in control, God is, and his ways are perfect. Fear and anger are not going to solve things but prayer and witnessing to those who are far away from Him is what we are called to do. God bless you and your family!!!
This is EXACTLY what I needed today. I just finished writing my prayer asking God to help me focus on the REAL enemy and not be distracted with my anger. To keep my focus on Him and His purpose for me. This blog was what was used as encouragement and reassurance that I was on the right path. Wish I was closer to OK because I would give you a hug. Thank you!
As always, wonderfully thought provoking and true.
Love the message! God’s love and never ending mercies for all of us!