Joy Gone Awry
"Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to
swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and
three nights." Jonah 1:17
Think back to your wedding day for a moment. If you’re not married,
dream ahead with me. Picture what it was like or what it would be like
to have your sister or maid of honor fixing your hair and giggling with
you in the dressing room. Picture yourself walking down the aisle,
looking at the handsome groom awaiting your beautiful countenance.What feelings have surfaced within you? Joy? Excitement? Exhilaration? Or, maybe Anger? Frustration? Sadness? Unfortunately for some of you, a day that was supposed to be a completely joyous occasion that brought about only positive feelings now brings pain and heartache.
Jonah experienced an absence of joy. The absence of joy can ruin the memories of what is supposed to be beautiful. After Jonah disobeyed God, a whale swallowed him up for three days. God's mercy forced the whale to spit him out. Even after the whale experience, Jonah was angry with God for saving Nineveh. It's hard to decipher from the text, but it is safe to say that his motives were self-centered.
I pray for the presence of joy in your life. Do not allow self-centeredness or a lack of focus on the significant things cause the joy in your life to go awry. May your joy be found in the significance of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
- Bible Readings for the Week Ahead:
- Monday: Jonah 1:17
- Tuesday: Isaiah 61:10
- Wednesday: Psalms 63:5
- Thursday: Psalms 64:10
- Friday: John 16:22
- Saturday: Psalms 68:3
- Sunday: Nehemiah 8:10
