No More Need to Struggle

Salutation and blessing! It is the end of the road for the book of Jonah, and what a great journey. I have received such wonderful sustenance in this book, with mysteries unveiled, many new revelations of the abounding glory, what can I do but praise our King? My prayer and desire for each that have read, contributed, or will find this in the future is that the Spirit would highlight the path leading to more eternal life for you personally as well as corporately for those you meet with. May we join together in His house at the table as brothers and sisters, even co-inheritors of the Kingdom with our Messiah and Saviour!

Now Jonah, the man who was miraculously used as a living prophesy, even saved from the depths of darkness, responded to the word of God and walked in that word. Yet the outcome of His ministry in Nineveh, the practical reality of his service, did not fit his expectations. He was delivered from death, and called to a incredible work, through which many men responded, yet it did not fit Jonah's expectation. The outcome was not as Jonah intended. He parks himself off to the east of the city in his own hut. More importantly, he takes the helm of his own heart, apparently turning away from God in anger and frustration.

Can this happen to us? Saved, delivered, living in the life. Worshipping God, living with His people. Then called to a work, called to step out in faith and serve God in an amazing way. Has this happened to you? I believe it is His pleasure to lead us in amazing works. Especially works that are impossible for us. In my own life, in my inner man, I found that it is very liberating to view those things around me with this perspective: "Could I have done this by myself?" My first thought some days is that I could not make it through a whole hour with peace if I were in charge!

This type of perspective is a winnower of faith. From the simple to the complicated, it quickly exposes the heart, and draws me towards trusting, believing, even relying upon the limitless energy in Christ. For example, my mind specializes in criticism, exploration, and evaluation. I am horrible at focusing on a topic where there is no stimulation in these areas. So even the act of returning to a specific subject, like Jonah for instance, over and over again, with focus and consideration, is not something I could do naturally. And to ice that argument, throw in ADHD and my naturally ponderous, wandering, obfuscatory palaver and we definitely have a miracle from God!

Likewise, any man could have wandered the streets of Nineveh proclaiming destruction. Given a hundred thousand people, I bet you could go to a similar city and find twenty or thirty people in various mental states proclaiming destruction for all. But it was the word of God Jonah delivered, and no man can do that in himself. What a wonderful thing, we have been called to speak that word! Each of us, by faith, are set apart for good works, to speak life into each other and the world.

Now for the subsequent experience of Jonah, that of his own heart, of his expectations. I have been in a similar place, and undoubtedly will be there again. For some this may be in the individuals realm of expectation, be it money, life choices, jobs, friends, any of the personal concerns in this world. My faithful encouragement is that He loves to provide for us, everything we need. But the concerns of personal life are minor, and pass away quickly in time. The concern of the Kingdom, the will of God, this is our hearts deep desire to attend to.

In that I have been like Jonah at times. Seeking to be useful to Him, to move in life, to see Him move in this realm. And when it happens, when it is the Spirit moving, how incredible the response in my heart! My spirit worships Him in response to His love, His moving. Yet feelings fade, expectations are not what I imagine, "... life goes on ..." Even the patience required to believe in the promise when there is nothing in sight can wane. All can accumulate in my heart, and cause frustration. Oh, it is so easy to fool myself as well! To worship Him, pray and read. To love my family and the saints. To love the lost around me. All this He will do in me, yet at the same time my heart is wrestling over something. Struggling with the Lord.

Yes, in this place, this time, the dawn breaks, light comes streaming in. Perhaps even a sultry wind blows, causing great discomfort inside. There is no strength left to struggle with Him, the frustration leads to fainting of the heart. Jonah was ready to perish again. Proclaiming his justification, stating his argument one last futile time. No matter, it was the end. For us, the body of believers, that end is in Christ. He was executed for such a struggle between the natural man and the Eternal. And we enter into that death. We can proclaim it in faith and by experience, "I have been baptised into His death!"

All of our dreams, our promises, even the hope in Christ must exist in faith. From the most practical of daily activities to the life changing decisions of great sacrifice, all is empty and transient unless He inhabits the path and provides the impetus. I believe that each step is at its core the same choice, irregardless of the circumstance, be it great or small. It is to actively choose eternal life, and actively lay down the natural self. It must be practical, it must be graspable, but it is in the Spirit that these seemingly foolish and simple ideas are unveiled. Even so, we have such a wonderful God, that He provided pictures of how this works, even speaking clearly to our hearts. Open our ears to hear Lord!

The knife blade, even the scalpel of God came upon the heart of Jonah. The Eternal spoke to Jonah, revealing Jonah's deficiency. Jonah's joy, his relief came form a plant raised in darkness. The same plant perished in darkness. It was miraculous, but it was not the light of the world. It was God moving, but not His abiding presence. Jonah's heart was filled with joy, yet tied to the dead realm.

Let me speculate for a moment. I claim no new doctrine, or special interpretation here! Use your built in life-o-meter in all that you read. There are two men. One man comes form the earth, and the other comes from heaven. There are two people in time, a natural, physical people of God, and those who enter into the New Kingdom. The God of Abraham, raised up a nation, a people out of darkness, by miracles and wonders. Delivered them from captivity. Yet they perished in darkness. Even the miracle of Moses, the holy law handed down, did not save them.

Why make this parallel? Why did God compare a gourd to a city full of the enemies of Israel? Is the life in the gourd the metaphor, or the life in the city? Or is the even more striking reasoning of God this: He gave consideration for them, being no better or worse than the nation of Israel that Jonah has tied his heart to, and even gave consideration to their beasts. Yes, there is verse in Ecclesiastes 3:18,19 which reveals to us there is one end for all, man (be he Assyrian or Hebrew) and beast, and that is death. Please enjoy the time to read that insightful passage and ponder it in this context.

Even here it seems what the Lord has shown Jonah in parallel is that Israel also knows not its right hand from its left (perhaps even Jonah has not discerned well the moving of God at this time...). What is this? A child has not yet learned cleanliness, and cannot remember what hand is for wiping (the left in ancient days). A child can not discern what is foul waste from clean purity. Likewise, the natural man does not know what is of the Spirit, can not discern the movement of God form the spirit of the world. He is born in darkness and perishes in the same place, eaten by the worm.

Hallelujah! That is it! One of the starkest endings to any book in the scriptures. But I am changed by this word. I am driven by this word, transformed by it. Jonah lived. All the implications of that are amazing, and even more so that this book was written, and ended in such spiritually forceful way. The natural man can not enter into the ministry of this word, can not lay hold of it, perceives it as foolish and trite. Even the scholar could discount what is contained in these last two verses as a simple comparison.

But He has pierced into the heart. I have frustrating things, even as I write, that are difficult to let go of. Expectations of His promises over my life. The desire to find those open hearts in Him, that supply of riches. Even practical attachments to empty practices in our modern culture, be it labeled secular or Christian. Praise the Father of all we see and know for providing a way, even His very son, to enter into eternal peace. We have no more need to struggle. Believe it! And remember, Jonah lived on... perhaps to wrestle with God again on a different day (though not recorded). Oh how He loves us! We are in Christ beyond the struggle.

For this meeting, here is the current agenda:

Prayer and Thanksgiving:
Can you pick someone, a saint you know, and seek the Lord in a special way on their behalf this week? One name may come into your mind. Ask that the Spirit would come forward in them. Ask for a special anointing for them to bring forth life in the gathering of the faithful. Be specific, ask for a healing through them, or a prophesy, whatever He puts on your heart to ask for. Even that they would find some golden teaching for your benefit as well! Expect it to happen, believe for that one to function in a new spiritual capacity.

Open questions:
Last call for recommendations as to where we go next. I have some guidance now, but am very flexible and want to be sensitive to His leading. You can even send me those huge (or small) questions of great importance you want answered. We will see what wonders await.

Current topic:
We will find out next week what is current.

Conclusion:
Many thanks to all, Christ in you has made this alive!

Lord, draw near to each one, with that closeness, even the comfort that exceeds all. Let each enter into your dining hall. To enter in and rest, to eat with You, to recline next to you. Grab us by the hand, draw us into the chamber. Cause us to eat and drink. Oh how we need You! We can not live without You, without Your provision we fall away and perish. My spirit praises You. Father of all there is, what a perfect plan You set!