Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s understand God requires our obedience regardless of our objections.

Today’s scripture, Jonah 4:1-4 (NLT) shares…
[1] This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. [2] So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. [3] Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.” [4] The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

Consider…
I enjoy watching the television series Law and Order. Each show opens with this opening statement: In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime; and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.

One of the things I enjoy is watching the courtroom dialogue, full of motions and objections by both prosecuting and defense counsels. It fascinates me to watch the dueling lawyers craft compelling arguments to sway a jury or judge to decide in their favor.

Although the show provides a glimpse into the world’s justice system, it is not at all like God’s.

James 4:12 (NLT) declares…
[12] God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?

Sometimes we misunderstand God’s role as Judge. When He gives orders, it’s from the the throne of the King not a bench in a court room. He’s not interested in our Constitutional rites in His Theocracy. That’s because our Omniscient God already knows what’s right and doesn’t need our persuasion to do it.

As 2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT) explains…
[10] For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Despite the Kingdom fact that God alone is Judge, people choose, like Jonah, to disobey God’s orders in objection to His decision.

For example, how do you feel about Jesus’ orders in Matthew 5:38-42 (NLT)…
[38] “You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ [39] But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. [40] If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. [41] If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. [42] Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.

…God requires us to focus on serving Him rather than seeking to see justice served.

And according to Jesus in Luke 6:27-30 (NLT), God requires…
[27] “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. [28] Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. [29] If someone slaps you on one cheek, offer the other cheek also. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. [30] Give to anyone who asks; and when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back.

Notice God requires a grace response to any offenses. But here’s the thing, He’s only asking us to follow His example.

Ephesians 2:3-5 (NLT) reminds us…
[3] All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. [4] But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

I believe in our haste to object to God’s mercy given to others, that we deem unworthy, we forget that we too are beneficiaries of His…

• Unfailing love
• Unending mercy
• Unlimited grace

I believe that’s why the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write in
Romans 14:10-12 (NLT)…
[10] So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. [11] For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God.’” [12] Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.

It seems to me that if we want to keep our personal account right with God, we should be less focused on presenting the circumstantial evidence about others to Him and focus more on serving them for Him!

That aligns with Romans 12:19-21 (NLT), which commands…
[19] Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. [20] Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” [21] Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

As I am writing this, the Holy Spirit is reminding me that in Matthew 5:9 (NLT) Jesus said…
[9] God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.

All of the required responses listed in the myriad of scriptures above demonstrate the peacemaking heart of a child of God. And funny, just as I wrote that the Holy Spirit further reminded me of Jesus’ command in Matthew 5:43-45 (NLT)…
[43] “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. [44] But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! [45] In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

There’s just no way around it, God requires our obedience to unconditionally love those who don’t like us or that we don’t like.

One of the things I appreciate about God is that He often gives us His why. The why He gave to Jonah, following today’s scripture, closed out the book. Jonah 4:10-11 (NLT) says…
[10] Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. [11] But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

You see God wants everyone to see His Light. In fact that’s why He sent Jesus into this world of darkness. Matthew 12:39-41 (NLT) shares…
[39] But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. [40] For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. [41] “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.

God wants us to do good to others who we may deem bad, in the hope that our good deeds will show them the Light of God.

Like Ephesians 5:8-10 (NLT) declares…
[8] For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! [9] For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. [10] Carefully determine what pleases the Lord.

• When people do bad, God’s children show them what’s good
• When people do wrong, God’s children show them what’s right.
• And when people are living a lie, God’s children show them the Truth

So today, rather than disobediently objecting to God’s universal and unconditional…

• Unfailing love
• Unending mercy
• Unlimited grace

…obediently light the way for others to see and appreciate Him.

Wow, the Holy Spirit just left me with image of lights on a runway. God wants us to be the guiding lights on Heaven’s runway for Jesus to land in the hearts of everyone who sees us.

Obediently accept, don’t object, what God wants to do for others through you.

In fact, make it your mission to live the lyrics in today’s song that say…

Holy, there is no one like You
There is none beside You
Open up my eyes in wonder
And show me who You are
And fill me with Your heart
And lead me in Your love to those around me

Today’s song is…
Build My Life

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)