{"id":9972,"date":"2024-03-19T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/?p=9972"},"modified":"2024-03-01T06:16:15","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T11:16:15","slug":"9972","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.honestreflections.net\/index.php\/2024\/03\/19\/9972\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme God"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Two-minute read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.\u201d <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jonah 3:5<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Supreme God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jonah, a prophet of the Lord, tells Ninevah they will perish in forty days. Believing the prophet, the Ninevites dawn cloth made from goat hair, the coarsest of fabrics, typically worn by the poor, prisoners, and slaves, as a standard of fasting. Sackcloth represented mourning; prophets wore it to associate themselves with the underprivileged and partly as a sign of mourning for the people\u2019s sins. The Ninevites wore sackcloths to symbolize their total dependence on God, understanding that without His protection, they would perish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In one of the most famous Biblical stories, Jonah didn\u2019t want to travel to Ninevah to share the Lord\u2019s message because he knew what they would do. An important city with a population of at least 120,000, Jonah knew if the Ninevites repented, God would save them, and the prophet didn\u2019t think they deserved saving. So, Jonah ended up in the belly of a whale, where he realized he couldn\u2019t outrun God or His calling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ninevites didn\u2019t disappoint Jonah; they repented, and the Lord saved them. Jonah learned a valuable lesson in obedience and God\u2019s sovereignty. Even the king of Ninevah left his throne, putting on sackcloth and joining his people in repentance. The supreme God heard their pleas, answered their prayers, and delivered them from impending destruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I say to you who hear,\u00a0Love your enemies,\u00a0do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,\u00a0pray for those who abuse you.\u201d Luke 6:27-28<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Praying for our enemies takes intention. Who wants those who hurt and persecute us to receive God\u2019s blessing? I don\u2019t blame Jonah for his unwillingness to share a message with the Ninevites with a vile reputation. Praying for someone I perceive as an enemy and asking God to bless them challenges me to the core. Instead of salvation, I want justice, but God doesn\u2019t want anyone to perish, and neither should we.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remembering our sinfulness helps to bring things into perspective. Each of us falls short of the mark of perfection. None of us deserve God\u2019s grace and mercy. We may prevail in one area, but we fail in others. My sin may differ from someone else\u2019s, but we share the same fate unless we repent and receive the supreme God\u2019s salvation. Like Jonah, we will accept God\u2019s sovereignty and unconditional love for all, not just those we think deserve it. Anyone who turns to the Lord humbles themselves before Him and seeks salvation will find it, no matter how badly they have sinned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journal Questions:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n