Of Whales and Worms
While preparing for the upcoming “Of Whales and Worms” series, based on the story of Jonah, we came across a letter written during the Assyrian Empire. And, as luck would have it, it was written by the prophet Hosea to none other than Jonah, himself.
Here’s what it said:
Dear Jonah,
I hope this letter finds you well, my friend. I understand your frustration about going to Nineveh—rotten luck! But, to get straight to the point, let me give you some tips I’ve learned about dealing with instructions from our father Yahweh…
Don’t bother running! Even if you do run from God, you can’t outrun Him. (If He doesn’t catch you himself, He’ll send something to do the job!)
Best to just listen closely, and pay attention from the get-go. Remember that God will slow things down—or even stop them—to get your attention! (Like stick you someplace where you can’t leave, and all there’s left to do is pray.)
Whatever you do, don’t try to fight Him! There’s no use fighting God—He will redeem others through us if He wants to. Even others we don’t like. (It’s just more painful when we’re unwilling!)
Getting bitter will only make things worse for you, so don’t go fishing for sympathy there. (Our bitterness can’t thwart God’s love or his plans—only how we experience these things.)
Pay close attention to what’s got your belly in such a knot! (The things you don’t like about God’s character probably indicate best the things in you that need to be transformed in you—even if the truth is hard to swallow.)
Good luck, Jonah—I’m sure you’ll have a whale of a tale to tell me when you get back from Nineveh!
Your friend,
Hosea
