“Now, Let Us Try It My Way”

“Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD” Lam 3:40. NIV

How easy it is, while we remain in this world, to fall back into a pattern of self.  We strive to make things happen, we struggle with impatience, and we strive to succeed.

We sometimes simply try to go our own way, at our own pace, and in our own strength. How foolish are we?

Jonah, we all know the story, was asked by the lord to go to Nineveh. He chose to go instead to Tarshish, the complete opposite direction. We’ve heard about the fish that swallowed him, and eventually spit him out on the shore.  It’s what happened in between that’s revealing.

“In my distress I called to the Lord and he answered me. from the depths of the grave I called for help and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled around  me; all your waves and breakers swept over me” Jonah 2:1-3 NIV

Our Lord will allow this, sometimes to our own detriment, until we’ve had enough. He simply says “Now, let’s try it my way”

The Lord has mercy, as we know, and Jonah tried it His way.

“Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.” Jonah 3:3 NIV

How did this effect the Ninevites?

“When God so what they did and the how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened” Jonah 3:10 NIV

A whole nation was saved! Praise the Lord, Jonah did it His way!

One of the last sightings of the risen Christ, by Peter and some of the disciples out for a ” fish” went like this-

“Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. He called out to them “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” “No,” they answered. He said “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” John 21:4-6 NIV

Result?

“When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish”
John 21:6 NIV

These are just a few examples of what great things can happen when Jonah, the apostles , and others have tried it His way.

It is written:

“In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps” Proverbs 16:9 NIV

Let the Lord determine all of our steps and let him help us plan our course. most of all, when he lays it on our hearts let us:

Try it His way!

Be blessed and Praise our Lord and God Christ Jesus.

Barnabas

 

Special thanks for this submission by guest blogger – Barnabas