Whale of a Time

We arrived just before our Connect group supposed to start to find that there was no room for us. The parking was jammed packed and we could not even squeeze Lynda's car in anywhere. We were contemplating just going home when George insisted that we park outside.

Outside! We wanted inside, not outside but George twisted my arm, so we parked outside with some reservations but it was our Connect group after all. And especially after a long day at work, all we wanted was to put our feet up and relax. And what a way to relax with our Connect family.

No where to put my feet up in the large lounge with the crowds and all, it felt like we were inside the belly of a whale. Oh you could guess it by know the topic was Jonah, Nineveh, the whale, the tree, and the worm. Yip there is a worm in the story, somewhere.

Brief story line, God tells Jonah to go to an enemy city called Nineveh and tell them that because of their sin, God will destroy them in 40 days. Now Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh as was afraid of them. Just let God deal with them and leave him be. So he went in the opposite direction and boarded a ship bound for Spain to get as far away from God as possible. While out at sea God then caused a great storm and fearing for their lives the sailors threw Jonah overboard when they found out that he was running away from God. Jonah was swallowed by a large sea creature, we don't know if it was a whale or even a big fish just leave it as a whale anyway 3 days later he was spewed out back on the beach. He finally relented and went to Ninevah and told them what God had said. The shock it must have been for Jonah to see the people of Ninevah repenting but Jonah wanted none of it so he climbed up a nearby hill overlooking Nivevah to watch God destroy the city. It was hot while he waited but God saw the people of Nivevah repent and He changed his mind. While Jonah waited, God made a tree or vine grow and give Jonah shade while he waited. Then God made a worm come along and destroy the tree, and Jonah was back in the relentless sun. Jonah was not a happy camper, and God rebuked him with these words, well close enough “Jonah, why is it that you are so concerned with this tree - a mere plant which is temporal, and for which you did not labour; and yet, you evidence utterly no concern for the hapless inhabitants of Nineveh?”

Oh that was longer than I wanted.

The story of Jonah was preached on Sunday at Centre Church, and this evening we unpacked it and discussed what it meant for us. Well somehow I managed to miss the Sunday sermon due to a leak that was discovered just as we were about to set out down the hill. Lynda and Bradley managed to go while I fixed the pipe. Anyways, the story of Jonah and the whale was drummed into us at Sunday School while the tree and the worm was preached a few occasions by the brethern that I knew enough to partake in the unpacking this evening. But I felt good just listening to others give their take on the story of Jonah and what it meant for them while Lance facilitated the conversation.