His Rod and His Staff They comfort!

As I was drifting off to sleep last night I was thinking about Jonah. Most people know the Jonah story even if they didn't grow up in church. Jonah was a stubborn man and despite God's clear direction he chose to run away from what God told him to do. I can relate to that in many ways.

For the first time it occurred to me that God's behavior toward Jonah was exceptional. He pursued Jonah quite vigorously. He could have just let Jonah sleep in the boat and waited for the trials of life to teach him his lesson over time, but He felt this was urgent enough to treat Jonah uniquely. Why? Was it just for the sake of Nineveh? Couldn't God cause the stones to cry out REPENT! I believe a clue to the answer to this is in Matthew 22:14 "For many are called, but few are chosen."

When I was struggling to have babies and enduring heartbreak after heartbreak, I found it hard to reconcile why so many people could just conceive and have kids without questioning it. Even those that did not want them nor have the heart to be parents. Of course God's word would combat this feeling of rejection, but I did feel a bit singled out. I kept comparing myself to the world and insisting on fairness, to be like them. Boy, did I have that wrong.

This lesson is SO big I'm not sure I've even got enough of it to share but two things I know for sure.

First:

GOD IS ETERNAL, and his perspective is eternal. He considers our suffering but weighs it against eternity? Just as my own son feels frustrated and picked on when we won't let him go somewhere outside our protection, or give him something he's not ready for. I'm sad that I can't bring him joy but, I know what I know, and we love him too much to give in.

Second:

WHEN YOUR GODS YOU GET TREATED DIFFERENTLY. (Hebrew 12:6) says: "because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

I know this is hard teaching, most people shutter to think anything they are suffering is the rod of God. However this is a consistent theme in multiple places, Old and New Testament. (Proverbs 3:12)"because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."

(Deuteronomy 8:5) "Thus you are to know in your heart that the LORD your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son."

We are a nation of rebels and discipline is a dirty word however could it be God's tool to mold us for the purpose of eternity. How can we claim his word and not see this as part of His love. Where is the discipline He promises?

I don't know if God inflicts us with suffering but I do believe when we are His chosen and we resist as Jonah did, God moves His protection away from our lives. Then we will face trial because the enemy is allowed to advance against us. We can't have Jesus the Savior suffering servant and friend and ignore Jesus the Lord, Eternal God! Thank Him for His discipline, it will bring you to an new level of maturity in Him.

Don't get me wrong........I hate to struggle and sometimes I am still tempted to look at others as a gauge of fairness but seeing how important Jonah was to God comforts me. I know He's not going to let me get too far away from His Rod or His Staff.