A Whale of a Message

It is difficult to share our faith with people if we don’t have love or compassion in our heart for them. God called Jonah to go preach to the people of Nineveh, but he battled God’s calling. Nineveh was a heathen nation and an enemy of Israel. Their sin was so great that it got God’s attention and they were about to be destroyed by Him. Jonah was in a pickle. If he goes to Nineveh, he risks his life telling a ruthless people that they are living in sin and need to repent or face God’s wrath. However, if he goes and tells them that God loves them, he risks being an outcast in his own country. If you aspire to be popular in life, then you will probably never share your faith. God called Jonah to reach the most ungodly people for two reasons. 1) God loves the ungodly. It is impossible for Him to love them less than godly people. Remember God so loves the world. 2) God was trying to stir the hearts of His people who had become complacent. He wanted to show them that He could get a heathen nation to repent, and yet He was finding it difficult to get His own covenant people to change. Sharing our faith not only touches those we share it with, but a changed life also inspires believers to change. 1 John 4:8 says “there is no fear in love.” When we love all people the way God does, we will not be afraid to share the good news with anyone. That love is placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and yearns to tell people of God’s grace. If we fight that call and keep going the way of Jonah, a whale awaits us too.