Don't Hate!

 Happy Sunday!

"Then they threw Jonah overboard, and the sea calmed down."(Jonah 1:15 CEV).

Have you ever hated anyone?  I can wait for your answer.  If we are all honest there have been people throughout our lives that have been so evil, spiteful, and underhanded that it has caused us to hate them or at least hate their actions.  Jonah hated the Assyrians for reasons that he believed he could easily justify.  They were Israel's enemies.  So when God commanded him to go to Nineveh the Capital city of Assyrians to preach to them, he made up his mind to disobey.

This made me think of a little statement that one of my elders once said.  In response to helping her enemy, she said, "I wouldn't spit on her if she was on fire!" Ouch.  No wonder Jesus had to teach us a new way to deal with people.  He came with a new commandment of Love, not an eye for an eye that they were accustomed to.  He said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;"(Matthew 5:44 KJV).

Jonah 1:5 says, "The sailors were frightened, and they all started praying to their gods. They even threw the ship’s cargo overboard to make the ship lighter.  All this time, Jonah was down below deck, sound asleep."(CEV).  Don't miss this!  Jonah was sleeping.  His decision had put other innocent people and their possessions in danger, and he wasn't even worried.  The captain woke him up and they discovered he was the cause of the trouble they were in.  These heathens had enough respect for God to know that they should never take another persons life.  So they prayed unto Jonah's God.  “Lord, please don’t say we are guilty of killing an innocent man. Please don’t make us die for killing him. We know you are the Lord, and you will do whatever you want.”(Jonah 1:14 Easy-to-Read Version).

They threw Jonah overboard and the storm stopped!  You probably know the rest of the story.  Jonah spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of a great fish.  He repented, and the fish vomited he out on the shore.  He went to Nineveh and preached and the people repented and humbled themselves before the Lord.  Then the Lord spared their lives.  The Apostle Peter later explained, "But he is waiting, for the good reason that he is not willing that any should perish, and he is giving more time for sinners to repent."(2 Peter 3:9 Living Bible).  God is giving your enemies more time to repent.  Don't be like Jonah.  Ask God to help you!  Really pray for your enemies.  Pray for them like you pray for your favorite people.  God has given us his love by the Holy Spirit and he helps us to love the seemingly unlovable.

Trust God to protect you.  Psalm 91:6-8 says, "Don’t fear a thing! Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you, nor will the powers of evil launched against you.  Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed, you will remain unscathed and unharmed.  You will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment, for they will be paid back for what they have done!"(TPT).  Romans 12:19 says, "Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God's anger do it. For the scripture says, “I will take revenge, I will pay back, says the Lord.”(GNT).

Love and prayers, Cynthia