11 November 2020

We had an all out family party at my house on Saturday afternoon. It was a family member’s birthday and 21 of us came and celebrated together. It was fantastic! I love when the family come together and all 10 grandchildren ranging from 13 years old down to 6 months come and learn to develop relationships with their cousins.

All the little ones play, build, and interact with imaginary scenes that they have made up. For example playing teachers, or doctors – it’s a sight to behold when the older ones drive the ambulance and go over and help the sick…. When the doctor arrives with their doctor’s kit and helps heal them. Hopefully, they are learning great skills of care and love.

Then I’ve noticed as the older ones get older this type of play activity does not do it for them. They get bored. So I have bought some Lego and board games for them to use.

Unbeknown to me, one of the eldest granddaughter’s had gone to Pa (Bruce) and shared how there was nothing to do. So he had set the two older girls up in our bedroom with a television to watch Minecraft, a thing they love.

As the night wore on, we put on a movie for the little ones to watch. As I walked past the room, I noticed one of the younger granddaughter’s had fallen asleep.

As the family had finished eating dinner and we were cleaning up, I was walking back and forwards a few times past the same room. I noticed the numbers in the room diminishing.

I went to investigate.

There they all were sitting in my bed watching Minecraft.

I had to smile, especially when the youngest grandson, Emmett, who is 2 was desperately trying to climb up the side of the bed to join them. He kept missing his foothold and slipping down the side of the bed.

I suggested to him why not step onto the blanketbox at the end of the bed and climb easily up that way.

He turned to me and said, “No! Grammie I want to do it this way.”

So I continued to watch and smile as he continued to try and get up the mountain of quilts and blankets HIS WAY.

It made me think. Are we like that at times with God? I’m doing it my way!

You can’t tell me how to do it! You can’t tell me which way to go! (Which is often the easiest and fastest route). Oh, how stubborn and proud we are at times. I don’t want to!

Jonah in the Old Testament was like this. He was asked by God to go to Ninevah to proclaim to them about their “wicked ways” as it is described. But he did not want to.  He did not want to do what God had asked him to do and he also did not want to do his duty (his job) for he was a Prophet. (He more than anyone would be listened to if he had gone.)

 But he ran away in the opposite direction, did not do as God had asked and got into so much strife himself.  He got caught in a storm, was thrown over the side of the boat by the sailors and swallowed by a great fish.

It was only then alone in the stomach of the fish that Jonah turned back to God and God heard his cry and penitent heart and rescued him.

Then Jonah went to Ninevah and declared to them the message from God.

The people of Ninevah heard the message and repented. They cried out to the Lord and changed their ways.

¹⁰ When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God [had compassion and] relented concerning the disaster which He had declared that He would bring upon them. And He did not do it.

Jonah 3:10 AMP

But then read the first line of chapter 4.

4 But it greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry.

Jonah 4:1

Oh dear. Why is Jonah so annoyed? Is it because he feels that he got punished when he walked away from God and God’s calling on his life? He was nearly drowned. Swallowed by a fish. Nearly died. So why did the Ninevah people get off from punishment?  God was going to destroy their city. Why did they get it so easy?

But does God not have a right to be compassionate about the people of Ninevah?

The closing line of the book of Jonah states:

¹¹ Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 [innocent] persons, who do not know the difference between their right and left hand [and are not yet accountable for sin], as well as many [blameless] animals?”

Jonah 4:11

Can we not be compassionate for those who don’t get it? Can we not be compassionate for those who have not truly heard the message of Christ? Maybe we are the ones to share, to speak the Love of Christ who sacrificed Himself for ALL to others?

May I be open to listening to God speaking to me, guiding me in my life, in my ways and not be stubborn to only do it my way. MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY.

Is there a new way the HOLY SPIRIT is talking to us to travel? A new compassionate heart for people? A new fresh voice of wisdom we need to hear?

Oh, so many things to meditate and pray about.

I stood a good 5 minutes watching Emmett try to do it his way. He was getting more and more frustrated. Then as he slumped his head onto the edge of the bed. I quietly said. “Emmett why don’t you give the blanketbox step a go?”

As I was leaving the room, I saw him slide slowly to the box and push his foot up onto it. A huge sigh came from his small frame. Then as he climbed over the brass railing of the edge of the bedframe, he smiled and cried out to everyone and no one in particular, “I made it!”

I smiled a smile of love. Does God smile too this same smile of love when finally we go His way?

May these jottings from my journal inspire you to believe in and fall in love with Christ- the hope of the world, as stated in Jeremiah 17:7, ‘Blessed is the man who believes and trusts in and relies on the Lord and whose hope and confident expectation is the Lord!’

Love

Rosemary

Every week groups of ladies meet together to chat about the things I raise in my weekly blog post and to chat about life in general. We call these ‘Heart Connect’ groups. If you would like more information please click HERE.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

Is there a new way the HOLY SPIRIT is talking to you?

Are you running from what God is saying to you? Are you choosing to do things “Your Way”?