Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh. ~Jonah 3:3a
Before my first writer's small group, I went to pick up my wonderful friend Lindsay who is someone I look up to and learn from everyday. She has four children whom she home schools and a wonderful, Godly husband who is like a big brother to me. On this particular night, her husband was attempting to feed the kids dinner. All of her kids (well the ones who are of speaking age), call me Auntie Ryssa. As I walked in the door, her two oldest boys greeted me with hugs and "Hi Auntie Ryssa!" Titus, her 2 almost 3 year old, was strapped into his chair at the table and was just screaming. I tried to say hello but he just kept on screaming. Andrew (Lindsay's hubby) said to me that he was unhappy because he was restricted to his chair for being disobedient about his dinner.
I thought about this as we began out first five minute free-write in small group. I was thinking about how he was crying and carrying on, and then his joy, smile, and pure love when he was able to leave the dinner table. How funny that a simple reaction of a child can be so profound! He was unhappy because of restrictions. How many times as adults, do we get upset, angry, and throw inner temper tantrums because of boundaries and guidelines that God gives us? Sometimes we blatantly disobey God and the outcome of that is almost a restriction. We are strapped down at God's table until we obey.
It is like Jonah disobeying God and not going to Nineveh (Jonah 1:1-3). He ran the other way and got on a ship. Because he chose to disobey God, he got swallowed by a whale. I think that is a bit restricting, don't you? Until Jonah decided to obey and until Titus decided to obey, they were being restricted. The great thing is that when Jonah decided to obey, the fish spit him out (Jonah 2:10).
The other great thing, that God showed me visibly, was when Titus obeyed - he was let out of his booster seat and had the joy that came with freedom! The best news yet is that when we obey God, He brings us freedom!!! When Jonah obeyed, he was freed from the fish. When Titus obeyed, he was freed from the dinner table. God brings us freedom from those things that hold us back when we disobey. And with that freedom comes JOY, unspeakable true JOY!
God showed me all this through observing a child for five minutes. What are your internal temper tantrums holding you back from? What has God asked you to do that you have refused and it is causing you to be strapped down? Remember, He knows what is best for us and would never ask us to do something that isn't.
Let's pray:
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me enough to die for me on that cross and for always knowing what is best for me. Lord, please reveal to me any disobedience that may lay hidden in my life. Show me how to live in true obedience to You. Thank You Lord, for Your freedom and fullness of joy and for allowing me to walk in it!
In Your Precious Name, Amen.
