October 6 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Devotional

Sometimes the Lord can be amazingly insistent that his will be done by very unwilling prophets. Jonah disobeyed God's command. Instead of going east, he went west. Instead of going on a mission tour of Nineveh, he went on a cruise and fell asleep in the cabin of a ship.

Jonah disobeyed but the storm and the wind obeyed God's will. So did the fish. Finally Jonah obeyed God's will too—although reluctantly. He did preach repentance to Nineveh.

It did not seem that Jonah's mission could be carried out. By all human standards, when he disappeared with the fish, that should have been the end of him and his commission. But it was God's will that he come out alive and that Nineveh be converted.

Jesus' mission also seemed to be a failure. He was buried in the earth. By all human standards, that should have been the end of him and his missionary career. But he arose from the grave, and by his gospel the world is being converted.

God willed the salvation of the city of Nineveh. That's why he was so insistent that Jonah obey his command. Behind the will expressed in that command stood the will of redemption. God insisted on obedience because he had compassion on those who were perishing.

Jesus is greater than Jonah. Jesus died in obedience to the Father, and he arose to bring all people to the obedience of faith. Jesus was greater because his heart agreed with God's redemptive will. No sacrifice was too heavy to carry out the will of God. Jesus' heart was moved with compassion when he saw the multitudes. But Jonah despised the Ninevites.

God insists on our obedience, and he desires the conversion of all people. In his good pleasure he has called us to render willing service in bringing all people to the obedience of faith.

REFLECTIONS

What does the story of Jonah tell you about God? About our attitude toward those who don't know God?

Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.