This Month’s Biblical Theme Is: God is greater than anything.
I was never good at math. I still am not good at math. But in math, there are three ways to measure something: less than, equal to and greater than. The largest number is always greater than all the others. I am rarely tempted to think that God is less than me, but I’m often tempted to believe He is equal to me. I go through life thinking that I have this with God's help, and it's just not true.
God has me, holds me and fights for me. Israel often forgot the mercy and justice of our perfect God. In the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal, we see God as greater than every false hope. In the story of Jonah, we see God's mercy far greater than Jonah's desire for judgment.
The basis for our comfort and confidence is His greatness. What a kind reminder this month of how great our God is.
-Sam Luce childdiscipleship.com
Jonah (Jonah 1–4)
God called the prophet Jonah to warn Nineveh, but Jonah disobeyed and sailed in the opposite direction. A huge storm hit, and the sailors threw Jonah into the sea. God sent a big fish to swallow him. Inside the fish, Jonah prayed and admitted he was wrong. The fish spit him out, and this time Jonah went to Nineveh. He warned the people, and the people responded by believing in God. Jonah was upset that God showed grace, and God used a vine to remind him to have grace for others.
The story of Jonah is a reflection of God’s Big Story. God, the Creator, is in charge of all things, but when He told Jonah what to do, Jonah did the opposite. Jonah chose sin. But God rescued Jonah and redeemed Him, or brought him back from his mess. He restored Jonah to his mission and restored an entire city as a result. In the same way, we all sin and disobey our God. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, He shows us grace and redeems us. He restores us to a right relationship with God and one day, Jesus will return and make all things new.
