See Jonah Run!

Jonah ran! When he received God’s call to go to Nineveh and preach against its wickedness, he fled to Joppa and boarded a ship destined for Tarshish, which may represent what we know today as Spain. One thing is certain, Jonah, whose name means “dove,” wanted to flee as far from Nineveh as possible. But why did he oppose God’s will so emphatically?

When Jonah prophesied around 800 B.C., Nineveh was the capital of Assyria, a nation with a reputation for gross idolatry and extreme cruelty. The Assyrians tortured and/or slaughtered their enemies. They plucked out their captives’ eyes, put hooks in their noses, and dragged them away in chains. Sometimes they stacked the bodies of their conquered foes like cords of wood and set them ablaze. Put yourself in Jonah’s sandals. How would you have responded to the call to go to Nineveh and preach against its wickedness?

But we can only surmise that Jonah feared what the Ninevites might do to him. His greater fear surfaces in Jonah 4:2. He was afraid the Ninevites would take his message to heart and repent. In turn God would forgive them. He didn’t want them to receive forgiveness. After all, they were Gentiles, and wasn’t divine grace strictly an Israelite commodity?

Racial prejudice is older than an Egyptian mummy and twice as ugly. It certainly doesn’t belong in the hearts of Christians. God, who loved the whole world and demonstrated that love at Calvary (John 3:16; Romans 5:8) has placed His love in our hearts (Romans 5:5). Furthermore, He has commissioned us to share the Good News with the whole world, one person at a time, faithfully and without prejudice (Mark 16:15).

Let’s spread God's love and the gospel!

Nothing Going On

I know some people love retirement. I'm not one of them. After 51 years of ministry I have no preaching opportunities and no writing/editing assignments. I mentor writing students online, but their lessons just trickle in. I trimmed our shrubs this morning and raked pine needles from under our ponderosa pine, but a little yard work is a poor substitute for ministry. I am hoping that a few pastors will invite me to pinch hit for them when they take their summer vacations.

I have thought about applying for a job at Walmart. I could greet shoppers, but I don't think Walmart would let me greet them with "If you have your Bible with you, please open it to . . . "

I will let you know if my situation changes.

Just the Beginning

Mark identified everything in his Gospel as “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1). Trace Mark’s reporting of Jesus’ ministry and discover he wrote about Jesus’ exemplary baptism, His victory over temptation, His selection of disciples, miracles He performed, spiritual truths He communicated, forgiveness He extended, prophecies He revealed, His sinless life, His crucifixion, His resurrection, post-resurrection appearances, and His mandate to His followers to proclaim the gospel throughout the world. But, according to Mark 1:1, all this remarkable information about Jesus is just “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.”

The word “gospel” means good news, so we may rightly ask what further good news about Jesus can possibly lie beyond the good news Mark’s Gospel unfolds? Surely, Heaven responds, “Wait and see.” When we live in Heaven with Jesus, we will see Him in all His fullness and revel in His attributes, authority, and power.

Christianity is neither stagnant nor stale. It focuses on our ever-living Savior and teaches us to anticipate each tomorrow and the eternal day. For the Christian, life just keeps getting better and better until in Heaven it is at its best.

Life After 90

Yesterday, Gloria and I attended a birthday lunch to honor three former members of a church I had served as senior pastor. Two are 92; one is 93. Each of them lives alone and pursues a fairly independent lifestyle. One still drives. The other two decided only recently to stop doing so.

Living beyond 90 is quite a feat. But living faithfully for the Lord and manifesting joy at that age is not only a remarkable accomplishment but also a testimonial to His sovereign will and goodness. Ultimately, the Lord determines the length of time we spend on earth, but each of us is responsible for what we put into the time.

If I live to 90, I hope I can still sit up and take nourishment. More importantly, I hope I can nourish the lives of others. Moses alluded to life’s days in Psalm 90. Here are two excerpts: (1) Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom; and (2) Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days” (verses 12, 14).

Happy birthday, Enid, Bob, and Pearl!

On a personal note: I finished writing my second book for golfers and sent it to a literary agent yesterday.

More Than Coffee and Sweet Rolls

Paul thanked God for the fellowship of the Christians at Philippi (Phil 1:3–5). I don’t think any friendship is quite like that Christians enjoy as they partner together to serve the Lord. “Fellowship” involves something far more significant than having coffee and sweet rolls in a church’s fellowship room. It involves working together to advance the cause of Christ. The Philippians exemplified this kind of fellowship by supporting Paul as their missionary (4:10–19).

Fifty-two years ago I graduated from Moody Bible Institute with 256 other seniors in what we all believe was the most closely knit class in the school’s history. At our 5oth class reunion in February 2007, we decided to establish an endowment fund that would benefit Moody students for years to come as they embark on short-term overseas mission trips. We set a goal of donating $57,000 as a class. Two years later, the fund’s balance is roughly $47,000. Soon we will reach our goal.

About 50 of our class members are in Heaven now, but the rest of us are in our seventies and are actively staying in touch. Facebook and e-mail keep us informed. Many of us are still involved in ministries. I am thankful for this ongoing fellowship, and I am also thankful for the fellowship of many friends acquired through the years since I graduated from Moody.

Why not thank the Lord today for your Christian friends and for the privilege of serving the Lord together, each in his or her own “corner of the vineyard”?