Jonah

Scripture: Jonah 3:1-5

Jonah was a most reluctant prophet, but God got his attention in a most remarkable way. When Jonah tried to run away, God had a great fish swallow him and then spit him out after three days. Obviously, Jonah got the message and proceeded to Ninevah where he proclaimed God’s judgment on that great Assyrian city. When the people of Ninevah finally heard Jonah’s dire prediction of doom for their wickedness, they believed him. As signs of their belief, they fasted and put on sackcloth; when God saw this, he relented and the city did not fall, much to Jonah’s consternation. That was just Jonah being selfish Jonah.

During this season of Advent, we need not be a Jonah, avoiding God and letting our selfishness get in the way of understanding what God wants us to do – to celebrate and enjoy with others this wonder of God coming down to be one of us, to be the salvation of all. As the refrain from the old West Indian hymn has it:

He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.
Oh, yes! believer!
Oh, yes! believer!
He come from the glory,
He come from the glorious kingdom.

All we have to do is believe, to embrace this gift of the Christ child and not think only of ourselves this Advent but of what God in Christ calls us to do – to love him and to love our neighbors with all our being. What more is there?

Prayer:

O God, may the blessings of Advent fill our hearts so that as we go about our lives we remember that we belong only to you and not to ourselves. May the love of the living Christ sustain us throughout all our days. Amen.

About the Contributor:

De Calvert is a longtime member of First Presbyterian and a ruling Elder.