Today is Saturday. My third Saturday meaning it’s my Saturday (every third) to work at the store aka my new place of employment that our Heavenly Father gave me. Of course, it’s beautiful outside and I would rather be doing other stuff. Anything but here. Yet here I sit. And wait.
Jonah had this issue. No, it wasn’t working on a Saturday, third one for him or not. No, Jonah’s problem was waiting. Waiting on a ticket to escape God’s call for him. Waiting on the sailors to pitch him overboard the ship in order for the winds to calm. Waiting in the belly of a GREAT, BIG FISH until he is vehemently vomited back onto land. And the best one is… waiting on the Almighty to destroy Ninevah. What in tarnation is taking so long?!
There Jonah sits in Chapter 4, verse 5 after building a little lean-to for him. Maybe adding a couple Magnolia Home pillows from Target. Or a Ralph Lauren rug along with some wall art off Wayfair. They have everything he needs. But even then, Jonah didn’t prep his pity party palace with adequate roofing. The Almighty had to grow a gourd just to cover Jonah’s head. Even when the gourd withered away Jonah then wanted to die. Bless his heart.
Here’s where Jonah’s inner drama queen is exposed. “Oh Lord, just let me die. Take me now as I can’t carry on. Tell Daria and the kids that I’m too self-centered to think of them. And that Buck will hafta go pigeon shooting with the neighbor. Poor neighbor.” Ahem, Earth to Jonah. It’s not all about you, Bud.
Yes, he went there. Check out verse 8 of chapter 4. Jonah had waiting issues along with self-centeredness issues. He built the best skybox one could build only to be let down when God chose not to scorch the Ninevites. Jonah = 0, God and the Ninevites = 1. And on top of that he whined, complained, temper tantrumed, then holding nothing back he hissy fitted in front of the Almighty God. Yet our God was showing continued faithfulness and grace to Jonah throughout the episode. Did Jonah deserve the favor? No! What he deserved was a spanked bottom and sent to bed without any food. Oh, he could have used a pacifier.
God had been shown to remain faithful to a hard-hearted prophet despite that the prophet knew God intimately (see 4:1-2). Ouch! Yes, that hurt. So, here I sit on my third Saturday. And what is our Lord teaching me? To wait. Yes, at this new place of employment. And it’s not all about me, nor do I have any control over the circumstances or other individuals. Including the one I supervise. Truth be told this job fits my current situation. It gives me the time to sit and rest my legs while still working, and even adds to my knowledge of interior design. God is allowing me to add to an already given talent.
(The nitty gritty truth is I don’t like this job.) There I said it. I’m not throwing a temper tantrum or even the latest hissy fit as any good drama queen would, but the back story on my hiring combined with the treatment by one supposed Christian is throwing my anxiety out of whack. Honestly the anxiety is on overdrive simply because I choose not to take it to the Lord. Gulp. Once again, our Lord is being faithful to hard-hearted child of his that knows him intimately. No, I do not want God to rain fire and brimstone on my place of employment. Though James and John would love to see their inner arson satisfied. Personally, for me I want to work peacefully with all people and not have the llama drama appear.
I want to be able to speak with any other Believers openly about our Lord just as I did at my previous job. Sadly, after working there six years, I had forgotten that place was special. Here in the real world, I have to fight anxiety and restrain my hand from balling up and smacking the fire out of someone who just ticked me off for the fun of it. Real world drama for a real-world Christian to take to his Heavenly Father to sort out as he can’t navigate through a peanut butter mess.
I know God has plans for me though I clearly have no idea what they are. What I do know is he loves me and remains faithful to one of his that continues to ask him to increase his faith. This he does knowing that everything he and I travel through is for my good and his glory. The former drama queen along with any and all disobedience within me is not favored nor will it be tolerated. I am to bring all things under the control of Christ. Stubborness and waiting included.
Grace and peace, James
*Scripture from ESV, Crossway Publishers, 2001
*Magnolia Home is a registered trademark of Magnolia Business Ventures, LLC, 2024
*Target is registered as Target Corporation, 2024
*Ralph Lauren is a registered trademark of Ralph Lauren Media LLC, 2024
*Wayfair is a registered trademark of Wayfair LLC, 2024