Full Circle by David Jeremiah

Thursday, September 1

Full Circle 

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. 
Ephesians 4:32 

Recommended Reading Jonah 4

When God calls, our first instinct is to run in the opposite direction. Instead of seeing His invitations and commands as opportunities, we trust our own judgment and allow our fear of what will happen to dictate our actions instead of our trust in God. We forget God’s goodness. 

Jonah is the perfect example: Instead of obediently traveling to Nineveh, he fled in the opposite direction. When Jonah was swallowed by a fish, he deserved to die for his disobedience. Instead, God heard his cry for deliverance and gave him a second chance. Instead of celebrating God’s compassion and forgiveness, Jonah clung to his judgment of the Ninevites. He ignored the truth that no onedeserves God’s forgiveness. It is a gift.

Instead of preaching with joy, Jonah was unwilling to let go of his resentment. His lack of forgiveness revealed a heart untouched by the forgiveness he was given. When we cling to grudges, resentment, and bitterness, there is no room for God’s forgiveness to flourish in our lives and to flow out from us into the world. God’s Word is clear: we are to forgive as we have been forgiven. Is there anything you need to release and trust God with today? 

God gives where He finds empty hands. 
Augustine