Pick Up the Shovel

Pick up the Shovel

I just heard someone say, “I’ve found that if I pray for God to move a mountain, I must be prepared to wake up next to a shovel.”  OH BOY! That sure rang true for me. I know that God still moves, I know that He moves mountains, performs miracles and is active and constant in our lives and our prayer life. But He often requires something of us. It makes me think of when I was young and I had responsibilities to things at home. Chores. Since I think of God as my heavenly Father, I often can relate things about Him through memories of my parents. For instance, if you did your chores, you would get an allowance. If you didn’t do your chores, you got a punishment. I remember one time when I was in Jr High School, I asked my parents if I could go to my first “sock hop” (for younger people, that’s what they called a school dance). My dad wasn’t thrilled but he said yes but go fill my bathtub. I was so excited I called my friends and I forgot to fill his tub. So, he then told me I could not go. To this day I think it was harsh, but I didn’t do what he asked. I don’t know if God has ever “punished” me for something I did or didn’t do, but I have to admit I have thought about it. I do know that there are consequences for our actions. God asked Jonah to tell the Ninevites something and he did not want to, so he was swallowed by a big fish. Jonah tried to run from God (not a great plan!!) by getting on a boat, but when the crazy storm came up, Jonah knew immediately that it was God and he told the people that if they threw him overboard they would be fine. Lucky for me, I have never been swallowed by a whale. The wonderful part of this story is the mercy that God shows Jonah.

Jonah 2 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said, “In my distress I called to the Lord,  and he answered me.

From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

When Jonah cried out to God, the big fish spit him out on the shore. Jonah then followed God’s instructions. (wouldn’t you?) Lord, help us to be open to hearing from you. Open to hear your leading to things you want us to do or do not want us to do. Thank you for your mercy and grace, more than we deserve. AMEN