Re:Verse reading–Jonah 1:1-3, 3:1-5, 4:1-11 (day one)
Remember that great old hymn, “I Surrender Part”? Yeah, me neither.
Usually unconscious, but still very common. We surrender to Christ but withhold whole sections of self.
Hold back your willingness to love a black man, or a policemen, or a Muslim, or a Ninevite–doesn’t matter, actually–then you are in the same boat with Jonah. (pardon the pun) Hate doesn’t play well in Heaven. Doesn’t matter what you have experienced. Those who receive God’s love freely, but place conditions on who they will give it to are only partially surrendered.
Somehow, we expect more from Jonah. He, after all, is a prophet! Long and distinguished career of service. (See 2 Kings 14:25) Only proves the struggle is real for everyone. Whether Abraham (sacrifice of Issac) or the good Samaritan (inconvenient, needy person) or Jesus (cross), God only wants to know one thing–do I have all of you? Have you surrendered it all?
