Eastertide
April 30, 2014

Read Scripture: Jonah 2:1-10 

As my life was ebbing away, I remembered the Lord;
      and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple.
Those who worship vain idols forsake their true loyalty.
But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you;
     what I have vowed I will pay.
Deliverance belongs to the Lord!’
Then the Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land. – Jonah 2:7-10 

I have been watching the NBA playoffs (Thunder UP!) and have been struck by the perceived need by the media for “urgency” to strike the players. Does that happen in game two or four? For sure it strikes in game 7. Urgency struck Jonah in the belly of a whale.

I rejoice in the fact that we have a forgiving God who rescues us when we stray and turn to repent at the last second. We have probably all been there at one time or another.  I cannot help but think though that God might rejoice more in us, the church, if we followed Kevin Durant’s plan of action: It comes down to perseverance and will and heart.* No one questions Kevin’s talent and work ethic, but even super stars have a bad night now and then. Kevin just keeps playing, he may not score much (not scoring much for Kevin Durant is a relative phrase) but his assists and/or his rebounding will be up and his defense will be locked down.

Taking God’s abundant life for granted is what led Israel into slavery. It is what is hurting the church today. A little urgency might be a good thing right now regarding loving God and loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. But more importantly, we need to inculcate that mission into our lives to the extent that we cannot help but live it.

Prayer: Lord, strengthen our perseverance and will and heart to love you more dearly and serve you more nearly. Amen.

*Daily Oklahoman April 28, 2014, Oklahoma City Thunder: Thunder proves it’s not going down without a fight—Berry Tramel

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.