Faith in Unlikely Places

Sometimes new believers are just plain better at this faith thing than us old hat leaders. It’s so refreshing to be around those ‘baby believers’ who are still in that ‘first love’ stage of their faith – radical, raw and uncompromising.

Fresh faith

Jonah, an old hat prophet, is shown up by the supposed pagans in his story. Not once, but twice. It’s clear that God does not look on the outside (your long ministry resume, your bible plan checks) but at the heart. He desires that we respond to His mercy and remain in it too. It’s easy sometimes to get bogged down by the routine of administration, planning events and serving schedules, or just dealing with fringe issues that crop up whenever people are sharing physical space. As leaders, we constantly face the temptation to be immersed in the routine and materialistic or even superficial side of ministry. This is on top of the temptation that Jonah faced: the temptation that just because we’ve been doing this ministry thing for a while, we know what’s best for people. The truth is, God gets to direct our steps.

How is it that an entire city responds to God’s mercy and grace but God’s chosen, appointed prophet does not? How is it that Jonah, blessed with the Holy Spirit, refuses to see things God’s way for someone else but an entire pagan city is willing to change their lifestyles and submit to God’s ways?

Your ministry

The boatload of pagan sailors were in utter awe of God’s power and repented. I have no doubt that had Jonah repented on the boat, God would have forgiven him and quietened the storm then and there without the drama of Jonah thrown into the ocean. Jonah is so stubborn that this is not an option he considers.

May we be people that are so in awe of God, so consecrated in our lives, that whatever he asks us to do, be it the small and mundane or the large and controversial, that we are quick to say yes with a worshipping heart.

Heart check

How fresh is your faith? Stale, fragile and rigid? Or open to moving at God’s call?

Is your repentance, obedience and worship immediate like the Ninevites and pagan sailors?