BBD 12.06.06 Hopeless
Posted by: wrather <wrather@...>
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The Burning Bush Devotional
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12.06.06
Hopeless
Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a
very important city-a visit required three days. On the first day, Jonah
started into the city. He proclaimed: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be
overturned." The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of
them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news
reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal
robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he
issued a proclamation in Nineveh: "By the decree of the king and his nobles:
Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them
eat or drink. But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone
call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence.
Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger
so that we will not perish." When God saw what they did and how they turned
from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the
destruction he had threatened. - Jonah 3:3-10.
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but
is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all
should come to repentance. - 2 Peter 3:9.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are
His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared
beforehand that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:8-10.
David Rodgers is in so much trouble it appears hopeless. He was driving a
truck in a Christmas parade in Anderson, South Carolina, that was a float in
the parade. The truck was filled with children and adults but that did not
stop Rodgers from passing another float and running a red light. Witnesses
called 911 and police officers chased Rodgers for three miles before he
finally stopped. Then, he attempted to attack an officer. An open container
of alcohol was found in the vehicle. As a result of all of this, Rodgers has
been charged with more than 36 charges, which include Driving Under the
Influence, assaulting an officer, and 18 counts of kidnapping. A child of
Rodgers was riding in the parade float for the "Steppin' Out Dance Studio."
At least no one was killed or seriously injured, however, the 42-year-old
Rodgers could be looking at many years in prison. How does David Rodgers or
anyone ever recover from the disaster that his antics has created? Only by
turning your life and the entire situation over to God can such hopeless
situations be redeemed.
The reluctant evangelist/prophet Jonah finally went to Nineveh and with a
one-sentence sermon the power of God fell upon them and they repented. These
were wicked people who skinned there enemies alive and left them hanging
outside of the cities they ransacked and destroyed. Jonah hated them but God
still loved them. He loved the Ninevites enough to send Jonah to warn them.
The Ninevites believed Jonah, believed God and repented turning from their
sins. They were under a death sentence and their destruction was rapidly
approaching but all changed by their putting their trust in God.
Those without Christ Jesus as their Savior today are also under a death
sentence, an eternal death sentence. However, God loves us too. He loved us
enough to send not a prophet but His own son, Jesus, to warn us and to die
for us. Jesus had the same one-sentence message from God, "Repent, for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17)."
Only God can clean up, redeem a hopeless mess like the one that David
Rodgers has made of his life. But then to some extent all of our lives are
hopeless messes (Romans 3:23) which only Jesus can redeem. Would you turn
from your sins (repent) and receive the most wondrous gift of all, eternal
life (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 6:23b)? Only then can God begin to clean up the
hopeless mess that we have made of our lives.
Copyright © 2006. Ed Wrather. Permission is given for use of the devotionals
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