Ordinary Time: Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Old Testament Lesson

Jonah 1:1-17

I love what the online bible I use for these devotionals titled this section "Jonah tries to run away from God." How true is that? God sends Jonah to do something he did not want to do. God sends Jonah to minister to people he hated, and that he wished the Lord would destroy. So, God tries to run away from God.

How many of us have done that? God may have wanted us to do something, and we didn't want to; so we ran. I know a lot of folks that God called to the ministry in their teens, but they didn't' surrender until their forties, because they ran. I know folks that stayed away from church for years because God wanted them to do something and they ran. We see in Jonah, a guy that God wants to do something, and he didn't want to do it, so he ran.

But, God caught him. God always catches us. You can't out run God. Today, if He wants you to do something, do it! If He has called you to something, do it! For, He has a purpose and a plan for your life. It's better to be in His plan, even if its in Nineveh, than be out of it, no matter where it is.

New Testament Lesson

Acts 26:24-27:8

Paul today says that he doesn't care if the king is converted quickly or not; as long as he is saved. Some folks come to salvation very quickly. Some folks here one sermon, are witnessed to once, are prayed for once, and then are saved.

Others are not. Others it takes time. Others it takes many sermons, many prayers, many visits. To those of us that are sharing the faith; don't give us. Whether it comes quickly, or slowly, all that matters is that conversion. Whether it comes in a flash or over a long period of time, all that matters is that we do our part. Today, if there is someone in your life, in your family, in your work that you've prayed for for years and seen no change, don't give up. It is not the speed of the conversion that matters; it is the conversion itself. Don't give up.

Gospel Lesson

Luke 8:40-56

We see in both of these healings, things looked hopeless. The woman that was healed had been sick for years and had just about given up that hope; and Jesus healed her. Jairus' daughter had died, and the crowd said, don't bring Jesus, she is already dead. But, death couldn't stop Jesus plan, He raised her from the dead. Both situations looked hopeless. And in both of them, Jesus brought healing and hope.

I don't know what you are going through today. Maybe life is great, maybe it is terrible. But, whatever it is, Jesus can bring hope. Jesus can bring healing. No matter how bad it looks, He can. Today, in Christ, there is hope. Today, do you have that hope?