Bible League: Living His Word But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.Jonah had a prophetic gift from God and a specific calling. He was to use his gift to proclaim to the people of Nineveh a warning of impending doom if they continued in their wicked ways. The Assyrians of Nineveh were enemies of the northern Kingdom of Israel, however, and Jonah did not want the enemies of his people to have the opportunity to repent and be spared (Jonah 4:2). Hence, Jonah fled from the presence of the Lord. He boarded a ship bound for Tarshish, which was about as far from Nineveh as one could go in those days. Most everyone knows the rest of the story. The ship encountered a fierce storm sent from the Lord, Jonah was identified by lot as being the cause of the storm, the men of the ship threw him overboard to end the storm and it worked. Jonah was swallowed by a huge fish provided by the Lord and from the belly of the fish cried out to the Lord. The Lord heard his cry and the fish vomited Jonah onto dry land, he received his calling a second time and this time carried it out, and Nineveh repented and was spared. When we read the story of Jonah we are reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: "For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29). Just because Jonah didn't want to use his gift in the service of what God called him to do doesn't mean that the gift and the call were no longer operative. It doesn't mean that Jonah could let himself off the hook. And God had mercy on him and gave him a second chance to fulfill his gift and his call. Among other things, the story of Jonah is a cautionary story. It should cause us to reflect upon our own lives. Have we neglected any gifts and any calls God has given us? Are there any storms and huge fish in our lives that may have been sent by a merciful God trying to turn us around, trying to give us a second chance? Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingGenesis 49, 50 Genesis 49 -- Jacob's Blessing to His Sons; Jacob's Death NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Genesis 50 -- Burial of Jacob; Death of Joseph NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 15:1-20 Matthew 15 -- Clean and Unclean; Jesus Heals the Canaanite Woman's Daughter, Feeds Four Thousand NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But be sure to fear the LORD and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.Insight Samuel reminded the people to take time to consider what great things God had done for them. Taking time for reflection allows us to focus our attention upon God's goodness and strengthens our faith. Sometimes we are so progress- and future-oriented that we fail to take time to recall all that God has already done. Challenge Remember what God has done for you so that you may continue your life accompanied with gratitude. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Romans 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved.Then Moses sang at the Red Sea, it was his joy to know that all Israel were safe. Not a drop of spray fell from that solid wall until the last of God's Israel had safely planted his foot on the other side the flood. That done, immediately the floods dissolved into their proper place again, but not till then. Part of that song was, "Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed." In the last time, when the elect shall sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and of the Lamb, it shall be the boast of Jesus, "Of all whom thou hast given me, I have lost none." In heaven there shall not be a vacant throne. "For all the chosen race Shall meet around the throne, Shall bless the conduct of his grace, And make his glories known." As many as God hath chosen, as many as Christ hath redeemed, as many as the Spirit hath called, as many as believe in Jesus, shall safely cross the dividing sea. We are not all safely landed yet: "Part of the host have crossed the flood, And part are crossing now." The vanguard of the army has already reached the shore. We are marching through the depths; we are at this day following hard after our Leader into the heart of the sea. Let us be of good cheer: the rear-guard shall soon be where the vanguard already is; the last of the chosen ones shall soon have crossed the sea, and then shall be heard the song of triumph, when all are secure. But oh! if one were absent--oh! if one of his chosen family should be cast away--it would make an everlasting discord in the song of the redeemed, and cut the strings of the harps of paradise, so that music could never be extorted from them. Daily Light on the Daily Path John 15:2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.Malachi 3:2,3 "But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. • "He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the LORD offerings in righteousness. Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; • and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; • and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Hebrews 12:7,8,11,12 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? • But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. • All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. • Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. 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