Jonah

 All creatures great and small are God's handiwork.

 These baby blues are His handiwork.

The mountains and the sea are His handiwork.

YOU are his handiwork!

October 22
Presently, I am in a study on Jonah by Priscilla Shirer.  Jonah 1:1

The word of the Lord came to Jonah...

From there Shirer makes the truthful statement "I hate to be interrupted."  During this political season there are certainly a lot of interruptions.  I was up in our loft area playing with my grandson the other day and the phone rang.  The descent from the loft is a bit challenging...ladder like.  Most likely by the time I would make it to the phone it would have stopped ringing, but in the back of my mind I wondered if it was one of our children needing something.  Being the landline the odds were greater it was a political survey, so I ignored the interruption.  

We learn from Jonah, when God speaks and redirects, it is best to not ignore the interruption.  Shirer remarks, "I wish Jonah could have seen his life laid out in four simple chapters like we can.  He would have seen that what he considered an interruption was really an invitation to participate in one of the more supernatural events in all of the Old Testament-one that would not only make a mark in the Old, but New Testament as well.  He couldn't have known that his story would be studied by millions desiring to draw closer to his God."

There are interruptions in life which are more disruptive than a missed phone call.  Health issues and injuries, death of a loved one, betrayal, rejection, job losses resulting in relocating or losing a home, a call to serve, etc.  When these enter our lives we need to remember the bigger picture, remember to whom we belong and remember God is always up to preplanned good works!

Shirer plots it out this way for us:

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, 

which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

1. You are His.

    All scripture is inspired by God and profitable

2. You are His workmanship.

    I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;Wonderful are Your 

    works, and my soul knows it very well.  Psalm 139:14 (NASB)

3. You are a masterpiece recreated Christ Jesus.

     Put on your new nature, created to be like God-truly righteous and holy.

     Ephesians 4:24

4. You are created masterfully for the purpose of being equipped to accomplish good 

    works.

    So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, he will be a vessel for honorable use,    

    set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

5. You are equipped to accomplish good works that were prepared beforehand by God.

    Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.  Before you saw the light of day, 

    I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations-that's what I had in mind for you.

   Jeremiah 1:5 (MSG)

6. You are equipped to accomplish preplanned good works by simply walking in them.

    The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He   

    walked.  1 John 2:6 (NASB)

So Father, whatever happens today, as they say at Burger King...

Have it Your way!