Nahum: The Power of God

   We seem to live in a world that continually fights over power. If one person has it, another can't. Power is certainly not something we talk about sharing very often - as if sharing our power will diminish it over time.
    Yet, even with this mindset, we seem to struggle with the idea that it is God who is powerful and not us. We have been deceived by the idea that we need to be all-powerful instead of leaning into the power and grace of God. Humility seems to be something that we are lacking around this topic and as a result, we are not a people who surrender our hearts or our wills very easily.
    The people hymn "I Surrender All" states: "All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give" - yet how often is this not true in our live. For the sake of our own power, or at least the appearance of it, we don't surrender our hearts to Jesus, even after we have asked him to transform us and save us.
     What would it look like in your life to truly surrender all power to God? How would this lead us to live differently?

Nahum: the Power of God Devo

Nahum: The Power of God 

Nahum 1: 1-15

Devotional

Scripture Nahum 1: 1-15

Read the scripture daily. Read it slowly. What is God bringing to your attention through this passage? 

God’s Power:

When we focus on God’s power we realize that 

God has Sovereignty - God has absolute power. God’s sovereignty comes simply because he is God, unlike worldly leaders who may earn their power or position or have inherited it through a family line. In other words, he is the ultimate judge and all earth is under his Kingship.

Col 1:16-17, 1 Chron. 29: 11-12

God is to be worshipped for his power - in Scripture, Kings were revered and worshipped. When people would come face to face with a King, they would often bow down, out of fear and respect of the authority of the King. We worship God, not just because of what he is done in our lives, though surely he has blessed us abundantly, but also simply because of his power and might. In other words we worship him because he is God and deserves all our praise. 

1 Chron16: 23-31, Psalm 99

God has absolute power - there is no one on this earth who has power that even begins to compare to God’s. God created this world and God rules this world. God’s power knows no bounds. 

Job 26: 7-14, Jer. 10: 12-13

Hymn “Immortal Invisible God Only Wise” 

Take time this week to consider the text of the hymn “Immortal Invisible God Only Wise”. The first verse states:

Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, Almighty, victorious, Thy great name we praise.

• What does this hymn say about the power of God? How are you doing this currently trusting the power of God in your life? 
• How do you embrace the aspect of God’s power in this world and in your life? Where are you still growing or are struggling? 

Sabbath. Study. Serve.

Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

Scripture of the Week: Nahum 1: 1-15

From the Sermon:

Nahum is a minor prophet who picks up on this theme of the _________ and ________ of God.

The Israelite couldn’t hear this prophecy about God’s power without thinking of the central story of their scripture - ___________.

They knew of the power of God, because it was the power of God that brought them ________ before and would bring them _________ again.

When we focus on God’s power we think of three things:

1.)

2.)

3.)

Reflection Questions:

Do we actually live our lives as if God is powerful?

Where are you in need of the power of God in your life today? 

What do you need to surrender in order to remember God is God and you are not? 

What is the power of God doing in your life and the lives of others?

Prayer:

Lord, we confess this day that we need to set aside our own ideas of how we are powerful on our own in order to claim your absolute power. Break our hard hearts, we pray, and transform us as your disciples so that we can transform the world for your sake. Amen. 

Dare to Dream: Perseverance

    Things get really dangerous (and very distorted) when we start to make the vision of God about us instead of God. One of the things that I love about the United Methodist Church is that our pastors itinerate. In other words, we move and are moved through a process of discernment. The bishop and cabinet match the gifts of the pastor with the needs of the church. Because of that our appointments are year to year. As a result, the church cannot be about me. Following the vision of God cannot solely be about the pastor. And I always need to be thinking about who is going to be following me at an appointment, even if I don't know who they are.
    With this in mind, the vision of the church becomes about following God not a particular leader. We are all part of the vision process, as we link together with the past and move forward into the future.
    Moses understood that the Promise Land was not about him. In fact, he never got to enter. As his term of leadership ended, Joshua picked up that mantle and moved the people forward.
     When you think about following the vision and call of God, do you see it as being about you or do you see it as being about God?

Dare to Dream: Perseverance Devo

February 17th, 2019

Devotional

“Dare to Dream: Perseverance”

                          Matthew 6: 19-24 and Deut 34: 1-9

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Heavenly Treasures” -  Matthew 6: 19-21

  I think the fact that this passage of scripture is found in scripture points to the fact that the tug of war between generosity and self-preservation is age old. Part of us wants to save money “just in case” and buy things for ourselves because “we deserve it”. We get caught up in questions of what if: what if the harvest isn’t good this year? What if I get a pay cut? What if my bills increase? What if the stock market crashes? So we focus on self-preservation, letting the fear of the “what if?” block our generosity. Let me be clear - I am not telling us to be irresponsible with our money - going into debt for the Kingdom of God. Instead, I’m asking us to examine our lifestyle, live below our means, and look past the “what ifs” for the sake of the Kingdom. 

 If God has given us all that we have, including the money we get from our vocation, and the offering plate belongs to God, why are we still fearful? If all of our treasures belong to God, why do we invest so much time and money into protecting them? And do we offer the same level of care and money into the work of God among us?

  How do our treasures reveal where our inward heart is through our outward actions?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for this day and for the invitation to grow closer to you everyday. As we examine our inward lives, may it reveal to us where our treasures truly are, and may we trust you to move our treasure to where you desire it to be as we grow closer to you. Amen. 

Tuesday: “ Who Do You Serve?” - Matthew 6:24

 Would you say that you trust God financially? If your check book reveals your heart chasing after God? If you are trying to grow in your stewardship? Its not until we start to ask these questions that we can find freedom. Its not until we start examining our hearts that we can truly seek the Kingdom of God first. 

 Every person in this room has a threshold when it comes to giving. Just as everyone in that crowd gathered around Jesus as he taught about where our treasure is, so our heart is, and asked who they served - money or God - had a threshold for what they would give. Thresholds are natural for humans. They are the dollar amount or percentage of money that we feel comfortable giving. When we step out in faith beyond our threshold, thats when we become uncomfortable. But the question is are we willing to step out in faith, beyond our threshold? Are we willing to surrender control of our money to God? Or are we going to let our fear be in control? Stanley shares his own threshold moment to which he responded, “God I’m not 100 percent comfortable with giving this money but I’m too uncomfortable not to give it”.

  What are two things can you try for the next few months to help you grow in trusting God with equipping you for your call?

Prayer: Lord, help me to be grateful for what I have, to remember that I don't need most of what I want, and that joy is found in simplicity and generosity. Amen. 

Wednesday: “This is the Land” - Deut 34: 1-4

Moses was never permitted to enter the Promised Land due to his own disobedience. However, he was permitted to look upon it before he died. Moses would have known all that went into reaching that place that God had promised so long ago. He would have heard the stories of the covenantal promise God made with Abraham, Issac and Jacob. He would have thought back to that call upon his life that came forty years earlier, at the age of eighty at the burning bush. He would have remembered so many parts of the forty year journey, from the exodus to this exact moment, looking out upon a promise to be fulfilled. 

Sometimes we trick ourselves into thinking that call means ever step along the way should go smoothly, however, this isn’t the case. We only need to look as far as the story of Moses, from the initial call to this moment and everything in between, to realize that sometimes part of the call is persevere. To keep our eyes and hearts focused on the one who called trust, trusting that we are faithfully responding to our God. 

Tell of a time that you had to persevere. What was that experience like for you?

Prayer: Lord, we want calls to be easy. We want to know everything that will happen from the moment we are called to when your promise is fulfilled. But that is not the example we find in scripture, especially with your servant Moses. Instead, you call us to keep our eyes focused on you as we respond in obedience. Strengthen us to do this, we pray. Amen. 

Thursday: “Moses Died” - Deut 34: 5-8

  Some pastors can tell you exactly how many funerals they have done throughout the course of their ministry. I am not that type of pastor. But I can remember the names of the people. The precious time sitting at deathbeds and mourning people whom I loved and their families. 

One of the questions I ask folks as we prepare funeral services is, “what do you want your loved one to be remembered for?” And it is rarely accomplishments or awards or even their vocations. Instead, they want them to be remembered for the love that they had shown, for their care and compassion. The friends they had and the family members they touched. How they impacted their community. That is their legacy. 

Moses was beloved by the people he led. So much so that they wept over him for thirty days. His legacy was part of their story, because he had touched their lives. 

What do you want your legacy to be?

Prayer: Lord, at times we feel like we are just going through the motions, O Lord, not knowing what difference we are making. But then, we remember your servant, Moses. How he must have felt the same way at times, yet left such a rich legacy behind for generations to come. Use us, we pray, in such a way that your Kingdom is proclaimed from generation to generation. Amen. 

Friday: “Joshua” - Deut 34: 9

  Even with Moses’s powerful legacy, the people knew that they still needed a leader to help them continue on their journey to the promised land. 

Part of being the body of Christ is that we all have a part to play and we are connected to one another. Paul says that we all have unique spiritual gifts given to us to build up the body of Jesus Christ, and that we are all under the Lordship of Jesus Christ together. 

Moses’s time of living into his call ended when he was 120 years old, but God raised up another person to take people on the next leg of the journey. When we are called, we may not reach the promised land ourselves, but we trust and believe that God uses us in connection with others to make the Kingdom of God known. 

What are your spiritual gifts? 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for making us a connected people. People who can rely on Jesus to guide us. People who can encourage one another upon this journey. Bind our hearts and minds together, we pray, all for the sake of your name alone. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Nahum: The Power of God” - Nahum 1. 

Sabbath. Study. Serve.

Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

Scripture of the Week: Matthew 6: 19-24

          Deut 34: 1-9

From the Sermon:

It is not just our physical vision that can become distorted from time to time, but our  __________________ as well.

When the people don’t have a vision, a vision from God, a vision centered on God’s Kingdom, they _________. 

If the eye of our spirit is focused on the vision of God, and we go after that, then our bodies are full of ________. But if not, if things get cloudy and fuzzy, we can quickly enter into ____________.

When we get down to it, perseverance isn’t just about keep going on for the sake of keep going on. It’s about keeping our eyes _______________________.

Reflection Questions:

How do you react when times of challenge come? Is your focus, our vision, centered on God? Or do you become distracted and things start to get fuzzy?

Prayer:

Lord God, give us eyes that are clearly focused on you and your vision. May we shine forth the light of your Kingdom with those that we meet. Strengthen us, O Lord, so we do not become easily discouraged. Help us to persevere for the sake of your Kingdom. Amen. 

Dare to Dream: What is In Your Hand? Devo

February 10th, 2019

Devotional

“Dare to Dream: What is In Your Hand?”

    Exodus 4: 1-17

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “What If they Do Not Believe?” - Exodus 4:1

  Moses has had this profound experience with God. God has spoken to him out of a burning bush and has put a call on his life. A call to go and bring the people of Israel out of slavery. Yet, Moses, is deeply struggling with that call. He first asked God, who should he say sent him? He knows that if it is by his own authority alone that there is no way that people are going to follow him. God replied to tell the people that God is named “I am”. I am is sending you. 

But that doesn’t stop Moses’s questions. Next he asks what if the people do not believe me or listen to him? What if he goes and tells people about this powerful burning bush experience and quite frankly they just don’t believe him. Then what?

I think we can all identify with Moses in this moment. On some of the committees I sit on and in countless personal conversations I have heard many people tell their call stories. In most, there was a time of doubt. A time of deep struggle with a call. A time when frankly, they wondered why God would have chosen them. 

Moses is wrestling with his own worth. What if he isn’t good enough? What if the people don’t believe him? But what Moses needed to realize, and we need to affirm in our own lives, that our call isn’t based on our worthiness - it’s based on the power, authority, grace, mercy, and love of our God. 

How do you respond when God calls you do something?

Prayer: God, when we let our own perception of our worthiness get the in the way, we often come up with excuses as to why we can’t follow you. Help us to set those excuses aside, mighty God, in order to respond to your all, not with our own power and might, but with yours alone. Amen. 

Tuesday: “What is In Your Hand?” - Exodus 4:2

Poor Moses is caught up in his own doubts and questions about the call God has placed on his life and God responds with a question of his own - what is in your hand? I can imagine Moses looking down in his hand and saying “what this? It’s just a staff!”

Staffs were important tools for shepherds. They allowed them to crook in sheep that tried to wonder from the flock. It could be used to scare off intruding animals. But when Moses saw it, all he saw was its simplicity. How in the world was was this tool that was great for herding sheep  help with the call of God?

A popular phrase in ministry is that God does not call the equipped, but equips the called. God is starting to show Moses through this question that he is already equipped. He already has what he needs, he just doesn’t recognize it yet. 

What are some of the tools that God has given you for mission and ministry?

Prayer: Lord, we admit that sometimes we look at our own hands and we fail to recognize what is there. We fail to see the tools you have given us for both our individual and corporate calls. Refresh our eyesight, even today, Precious Lord, so we can see what you have already given us through your heart. Amen. 

Wednesday: “So They May Believe” - Exodus 4: 3-9

In the Gospel of John the miracles that Jesus performs are called signs, and they point to the power and authority of God. So it is with Moses. When he responds to God’s question by saying that he has a staff in his hands, God tells him to throw it to the ground. And what happens when he does? It becomes a snake. Then when Moses picks it up it becomes a staff again. 

Moses is told that this is a sign, so that they (the people that Moses worries are going to doubt him) so that they may believe. But believe who and what? Believe that the Lord has appeared to Moses. 

I think, if he was honest, Moses was also craving a few signs. Yes, God had appeared to him in the burning bush, but he also needed a few signs to encourage him to live into the call and the journey ahead. We all crave signs. We spoke in the sermon this week about Gideon, who asked for signs on a fleece so he could be sure. We all want to be sure. But signs don’t exist so that we can be sure, brothers and sisters, they exist to point back to the authority and power of God. 

What have been some signs from God in your life?

Prayer: Lord, we often want signs. Signs of your power. Signs of your authority. Signs that we heard you correctly. Signs that we are going the right direction. Lord, we want to thank you for the signs that we have received and we ask, O Lord, that we do not overlook them. Let us see them, receive them, and give you all the honor and glory for them, we pray. Amen. 

Thursday: “Eloquent” - Exodus 4: 10-12

  Moses has received sign after sign. He has been told that he has his marching orders. He has even been told how to respond to any doubt he may encounter. But Moses still has questions and concerns - chief of which, is that he isn’t eloquent. Words don’t come easily for him, and this seems like a task where words would be required. 

But God respond with another question for Moses - who gave human beings their mouths? Is it not God? It’s another tool that Moses has overlooked. In fact, it’s another tool that Moses may have even considered to be a hinderance. 

Sometimes the things that we feel are hinderances are actually gifts from God. For while Moses may have saw himself as being slow in speech, God saw him as someone he could give words to and teach to speak. 

  What is something that you would consider a difficulty that God has used for his glory?

Prayer: Lord, we want to offer ourselves to you anew today. We want to ask that you use us - all of us - even the parts that we would consider hindrances or difficulties. We give ourselves to you, for your honor, glory, and praise, as a living sacrifice. Amen. 

Friday: “Someone Else” - Exodus 4: 13-17

  But Moses wasn’t quite done with his excuses. In a last ditch effort he tried one more thing - just telling God to send someone else. By this point however, God was a little tired of the excuses. In fact, in the NIV Bible translation it says that God’s anger burned against Moses. But what happens next is actually a little bit humorous. Moses was intending that God send someone else all together, but instead God wouldn’t let Moses wiggle out of his call, sending another person to go with him. 

Brothers and sisters, when we receive a call from God it is our call. We can’t just pass it on to another person. In the same vein, if we receive a call as a church, we can’t just wait for another church to step in and do it in our place. Moses was equipped, not only with his staff, but with Aaron as a companion on the journey. Aaron was simply another blessing from God that God gave in order for Moses to do what he was called to do. 

Who is God inviting to go on the journey of faith and call with you?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for not giving up on us, even when we seem to give up on ourselves. Thank you for not just equipping us with tools, but with companions for the journey. Open our spirits, we pray, to make us willing to respond to your call for us. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Dare to Dream: Perseverance” - Matthew 6: 22-24.

Sabbath. Study. Serve.

Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

Scripture of the Week: Exodus 4: 1-17

From the Sermon:

Surely it is God who will _________ us for what we are created and called to do.

When we view things through our human lens, through our human eyes, we tend to see the ___________ and ____________ as a consequence. 

We need dreams that we can only go after because of God’s ________ and _________.

In God we have all that we need for the____________ that we are called to.

Reflection Questions:

What tools God has blessed you with? What do you know in your head? What you can do with your hands? What are you passionate about?

Prayer:

God, we confess, that in our human nature, we often jump to the reasons we cannot do something or try to make the dream you have placed within us smaller so it is more manageable. Help us to see, O God, with your eyes and dream your dreams, so that the Kingdom of God may be made known. Amen. 

Dare to Dream: Getting Rid of Your 'Buts'

         We aren’t quite told how the call of God came to Jonah. Perhaps it was a gentle whisper, a dream, a vision, an audible voice, or maybe an inner leading. But Jonah knows that it is the unmistakably the voice and call of God because what it was telling him to do was quite unwelcome. Not anything that he would pick for himself. 

The call was to go at once to the great city of Nianevah that had been sinning in the face of God and cry out against it. Essentially Jonah was being told to go to a city where he would not be welcomed and preach a message that no one would want to hear. 

Jonah didn’t argue with God’s call. He didn’t try to negotiate. In fact, he didn’t verbally respond at all. But his actions spoke loud and clear what he felt. He fled. The complete opposite direction. 

      Wether we run with our feet or run with our excuses, How many of us can identify with Jonah at this point in the story. You’ve had this inkling that you were supposed to do something for God. A vision. A nudge. But it felt extremely uncomfortable, or inconvenient, or you thought demanded too much of a sacrifice. So you ran. You may not have called it running. Maybe you just tried to rationalize that it couldn’t be the voice of God. Or that you needed to be more sure before acting. Whatever the case, it was running from the call. Running for the One who calls.

     When is a time that you ran from the call of God? What excuses do you need to set aside in order to stop running now?

Dare to Dream: Lose Your Big 'Buts' Devo

February 3rd, 2019

Devotional

“Dare to Dream: Lose Your Big ‘Buts’” -

                                                    Jonah 1: 1-17

Keep the sermon topic and Biblical text preaching all week by following Pastor Michelle on twitter @tinypastor and reading her sermon blog www.revmichelle.blogspot.com

Monday: “Fleeing the Call” - Jonah 1:1-3

  Brothers and sisters, we are all called by God. Called to serve God. Maybe not as a pastor or a missionary overseas, but it’s still a call. Maybe your call is to lead Sunday School. Start a small group. Form a relationship with someone who doesn’t yet know about Christ. The calls of God are endless. And we all run from them one way or another. Usually in ways less noticeable than Jonah. By not having our heart in it. By not stepping out in faith. By not being fully engaged in the ministry of God. By staying in our comfort zone. By not going in all the way. And sometimes even running the opposite direction.

  But like Jonah we are destined to learn the truth of the God we love. We cannot run away from him. Jonah knew that he couldn’t really flee from God. In fact, when the crew of the ship asked him who his God was, Jonah claimed that his God was over the sea and the dry land. Where could Jonah really go? Where can we really go?

When is a time that you ran away from God’s call? What happened?

Prayer: God, we thank you that you do nor leave us or forsake us, but confess, O Lord, that we have left you. We have ran from your call in our lives at times. Forgive us, Precious Lord, and keep calling us until we respond. Amen. 

Tuesday: “Tell Us” - Jonah 1: 4-8

The crew of the ship do something interesting. They go through questions, and casting lots (which was essentially be like playing a game or spinning a wheel to determine the will of God) and finally determine that Jonah is the cause behind the storm. Jonah’s God is mad at him. But goodness, they should have known that friends. They knew that Jonah was fleeing from God because he told them. They just didn’t really grasp what that means.

If we search hard enough we will find people to go along with our disobedience. People that will tell us that it’s okay to run from unpleasant situations, or back us up when we say that we aren’t quite sure if this is the call of God for us, so we will just wait it out. Or ignore it. It’s not hard to find people who will be complicit with our sin. People who will harbor us from the will of God or help us run the opposite direction. But that doesn’t make it right. And it doesn’t mean that the storms won’t come. 

Who has encouraged you to stop running from God?

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the people in our lives who encourage us to follow the call you have placed on our lives - the people who have encouraged us to listen and to stop running. Build us up to be such people in the lives of others, we pray. Amen. 

Wednesday: “What Shall We Do?” - Jonah 1:9-12

The crew tried everything they could think of before giving in and throwing Jonah overboard, treating him like a piece of cargo that had already been discarded instead of the prophet of God he was. But then something happens. The storm stops. And the crew falls before Jonah’s God making sacrifices and vows. These men who just a few verses before were crying out to their own God came to see the power of the God Jonah worshiped. Even Jonah’s disobedience was used to give God glory. This is not to say that we should run from God so that God will be glorified. Rather it’s pointing out that God will be glorified, and we have the choice to be part of that or not. Do we want our sin to point to God or our trust and obedience?

  At the end of the day, I think we understand Jonah because his fear resonates with us. The fear of the call. The fear of the unknown. So we choose to run away, instead of following God into freedom. We flee instead of listening to God. 

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a call story where the person being called by God responded willingly the first time. But as the story of Jonah show us, God will not be ignored. God is relentless in pursuing us. And God just won’t let us shrink away from the call that was specifically designed for us. 

What fears do you have about following God’s call on your life?

Prayer: Lord, let us trust you more than we fear the unknown. Let us set aside our excuses and run hard after you. May we hear your voice tell us afresh that we are yours and the plans you have for us this day. Let us willingly work for your Kingdom. Amen. 

Thursday: “Threw Him In” - Jonah 1: 13-16

  We like to kid ourselves into thinking that if we don’t respond to the call of God then someone else will just do it for us. But it’s your call. No one can do it the same way you can because God made it for you. God wants you. If Jonah didn’t go, how would the Ninevites get the message? The only way to deliver it was through another person. And God selected Jonah. But Jonah let fear trump calling. 

It’s time to stop running. Stop seeking out people to make us feel better about our disobedience. Stop pretending that someone else could do it just as well. Stop being disobedient. Stop. It’s your call. It’s your time.

  What needs to happen in your life for you to stop running from God?

Prayer: Lord, we cannot help but marvel at the fact that while we run the other way, you keep calling us back. Lord, do whatever it takes, we pray, to not give up on us. Break our disobedient spirits and give us a heart to do your will. Amen. 

Friday: “Large Fish” - Jonah 1: 17

  Even when Jonah ran, God did not give up on or forget the call that God had placed on him. Even when the sailors realized what was happening and reluctantly threw him overboard, God still had a plan that involved Jonah - he just had to use the belly of a large fish to get his attention. 

What does God need to do in order to get your attention? Can you think of something you know that God has been calling you to do, but that you have been ignoring or avoiding? How has God continued to show you this call and not let you go? How are you going to respond?

What does God need to do in order to get your attention?

Prayer: Lord, do whatever it takes, we pray, to get our attention. Let us no longer run away or make excuses. Instead, let us have your heart for you people, we pray. Amen. 

Saturday: Preparing for the Word

You are invited to read and pray this week’s text and topic: “Dare to Dream: What is in Your Hand?” - Exodus 4: 2-5

Sabbath. Study. Serve.

Sabbath, Study, Serve 

Taking the Sermon Into Our Week 

Scripture of the Week: Jonah 1: 1-17

From the Sermon:

As wonderful and exciting as being part of the vision and mission of God is, however, there is something that all too often can get in the way - ____________.

We as humans seem to be masterful at coming up with __________ as to why we can’t or won’t do something.

When God calls for such a time as this, it should be noted that God’s call is not in our ________.

Often we are called to do things that we do not feel ________ to do.

Excuses made, wether they come from ________ or __________ aren’t what’s most important. They can’t override God’s vision or call in our lives

Reflection Questions:

Adapted from: Priscilla Shirer, Jonah: Navigating a Life Interrupted, Nashville: Lifeway Publishing, 2010 (2012).

1.) Recall a time that you ran from God. What did running look like in your situation? Why did you choose that path?

2.) Are you running form something now? Is so, what are you running from and how is this evident in your life?

3.) What do you think Jonah should have learned from this first part of the story? What can we learn?

Prayer:

God, I confess that I have tried to run away from You and Your plans for my life. Help me to stop running. You have my attention, Loving God. I repent of being disobedient and willingly surrender to You. Amen.