Face to Face With Jesus - a Lenten MeditationSample

Jonah was a man much like all of us. He heard the word of God and ran in the opposite direction. His assignment seemed too far out and he assumed he could outrun God. What a joke! David writes in Psalm 139 verses 7 to 12, of how we can never escape God. Jonah somehow is brought back on track by God’s power and might and eventually sees the salvation of Nineveh. He misses the point though by ranting and raving about God’s grace and kindness towards an otherwise wicked nation forgetting just how much grace was shown to him.

How often have we looked at someone else and written off on behalf of God? We assumed their sin was too big, their life too vile or their choices too poor for God to intervene and change things. We forgot how gracious God has been toward us in forgiving us of our innumerable sins and shortcomings. We withheld grace, mercy and kindness from those who needed it most. In Jesus, grace was given to us when we put our faith and trust in Him. We didn’t earn or deserve it. it was a free gift- one that we must offer others as often as we can.

Questions to ask yourself

Have I forgotten how God saved me from myself?

Who have I withheld grace and mercy from?

Can I repent of this and choose to start loving and accepting people afresh?