BBD 09.16.08 Your Nineveh
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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09.16.08
Your Nineveh
So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now
Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, a three-day journey in extent. And
Jonah began to enter the city on the first day's walk. The he cried out and
said, 'Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!' So the people of
Nineveh believed God, proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the
greatest to the least of them. - Jonah 3:3-4.
When I was in the eighth grade I had the unpleasant experience of attending
shop class with a bully. He was a head or two taller than any of us. He had
failed a couple of grades and moved to our little school from a large school
in California. His name was Gene and Gene's entertainment consisted of
making life miserable for others. Each day he would pick on someone. My turn
finally came when he had me down on the ground hitting me and there was
absolutely nothing that I could do about it. Gene moved after that year, and
I have not heard what became of him. For several years even after becoming a
Christian, I could have cared less about what had happened to Gene, but I
did finally forgive him.
Jonah had a problem with an even larger bully. The bully was the evil place
called Nineveh and the Ninevites who lived there. We know the story. The
word of the Lord came to Jonah to go and preach in that evil place. Jonah we
know refused until he had a little attitude adjustment in the belly of the
great fish. The word of the Lord came to Jonah again and the second time
Jonah went to Nineveh and there was a great revival. Jonah only had a
one-sentence sermon, but it was enough to bring the city to its knees.
What was the biggest obstacle to revival in Nineveh? Jonah was the biggest
obstacle. One self-righteous person stood in the way of the greatest revival
of the ancient world. The word of the Lord came to me about my bully. He has
been on my prayer list for many years now. I do not know where he is but God
does. Any old bullies, antagonists, Ninevehs you're still having bad
thoughts about?
I'm not sure that Jonah ever forgave the Ninevites for the evil acts that
they had committed. However, if we want to have peace and be in a right
relationship with our Lord; we must forgive those who do us wrong. Why?
Because our Lord has forgiven us. Jesus says in Matthew 6:12 for us to pray,
"And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Jesus says in Matthew
6:14-15, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither
will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Revenge, getting even, getting back at someone is always much more enjoyable
than extending forgiveness. Forgiving someone is always difficult when their
offense against you is serious. It is only through the power of God that we
can forgive those offenses. In 1947, Corrie ten Boom came face to face with
a former concentration camp guard who had been one of her and her sister's
tormentors during that difficult time in which her sister Betsie died. The
former guard was now a Christian. He extended his hand toward Corrie and
asked her to forgive him. Corrie knew that forgiveness was an act of the
will, but still it was so very hard. She silently prayed for Jesus to help
her. She lifted her hand and as she grasped his hand, she was able to
verbally say that she forgave him. As she did so, tears came to her eyes,
and she was able to hug him and call him her brother. Corrie said that was
the most intense moment of experiencing God's love in all of her life.
Incredible!
It could be that if you have a lack of joy and a lack of peace in your life
that you need to forgive someone. It will not be easy but in the act of
forgiving you will experience the love of God and you may also gain an
opportunity to share the love of God.
Copyright © 2008. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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