Jonah - Life Application

1.      Jonah had a rather bad attitude about a few things.

A.     First, God wanted Jonah to complete a task and it was a task Jonah would rather not have done. 

i.                    When have you sensed that God may be calling you to a task but you felt ill-prepared to accomplish it?

ii.                  When have you sensed that God may be calling you to a task but you the task didn’t fall in to what you had planned for yourself so you didn’t do it?

iii.                What was the net result of i. or ii. above?

2.      Jonah flat out rebelled against God.  When have you ever flat out rebelled against God? How well did that work for you?

3.      One of the reasons Jonah did not want to preach the message of salvation to the Assyrians in Nineveh was because he knew how they had treated his homeland previously.  His patriotism towards Judah/Israel somewhat became a roadblock in his accomplishing the task God called him for.  We all can be just as patriotic as the next person.  However when might our ‘patriotism’ become a roadblock for doing what God has called us to do?

4.      Jonah seems to have had some mixed motives in his prayers to God regarding Nineveh and the Assyrians.  When have you possibly had some mixed motives in your prayers?  How did you perceive God’s response to those prayers?

5.      In spite of Jonah’s rebellion and bad attitude, God never deserted him.  When have you noticed that God continued to be faithful to you, to strengthen and support you even in your rebellion?

6.      We ALL sin.  When you do sin how reluctant do you get when trying to renew your fellowship with God?  How might you get over that feeling of guilt you have when ooops, you’ve done it again?

7.      Jonah didn’t want to ‘preach’ the message of God’s redeeming grace to the Assyrians because, well, quite frankly, he didn’t like them.  Who are people that maybe you well, quite frankly, don’t like but still need to hear the message of God’s redeeming grace…maybe from you?

8.      Pride can always be a factor that stands in our way of effectively doing the work God has called us to do.  When have you struggled with your desire to be liked and respected more than you desired to do the work God has called you to do?