JONAH: IN THE BELLY OF A REALLY BIG FISH

IN THE BELLY OF A REALLY BIG FISH

(Jonah)

The word of the Lord came to Jonah;

I want you to go and preach.

Go to Ninevah and see,

How many of them you can reach.

So Jonah paid the travel fare,

And sailed in the other direction.

But he was soon to discover,

He no longer had God’s protection.

The Lord was upset with Jonah,

So He sent a great wind on the sea.

Jonah had run away from God,

But God he could not flee.

While the sailors cried to their gods in fear,

Jonah was fast asleep,

Unaware of the trouble he’d caused,

For he was sleeping so deep.

“Get up,” cried the sailors, “and call on your god;

We’re sinking faster and faster.”

They then drew lots to determine,

Who caused this near disaster.

The lot fell upon Jonah,

So they questioned, “Who are you?

Who and where are your people?"

He answered, “I am Hebrew.”

I worship the Lord God of heaven,

Who made the land and the sea.

“What have you done” they asked him then,

“That your God caused this storm to be?"

The sea got rougher and rougher;

They wondered what they should do.

“Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said.

"It’s my fault this storm came on you."

The seamen tried to row to land,

But the waves grew wilder and wilder.

So they quickly hurled Jonah overboard.

At once, the winds became milder.

Jonah was instantly caught,

‘tween the devil and the deep blue sea.

Tangled in seaweed, he cried,

“There’s a whale of a fish after me!”

Down its slippery tongue Jonah went;

He began to toss and careen.

Though it was dark, he saw the light,

In the belly of the live submarine.

There was Jonah in the fish’s tummy,

(It was usually the other way ‘round.)

He had plenty of time to think,

And wonder to where he was bound.

Three days and nights in his think tank,

On a waterbed he rested.

The folly of ignoring his calling,

Was the only thing digested.

Jonah remembered the Lord, then prayed,

It was then God’s plan unfurled.

For the second time in three long days,

From his resting place Jonah was hurled.

With a splat he landed on dry land,

And proceeded to obey the Lord.

In Ninevah he had success,

Except with a stubborn gourd.

Becky L. Wall

ONE AND ONLY ONE

ONE AND ONLY ONE

(Based on I Cor. 8:6, 2:13; Eph. 4:4-5, Plpp. 2:2, I Tim. 2:5, Heb. 10:12, I Pet. 3:8, I John 5:7)

There is only one way to heaven,

Through Jesus, God’s only Son.

No one else can save us;

He and His Father are one.

One hope, one faith, one baptism,

One natural, and one spiritual death.

We are to be of one mind and accord,

As long as God gives us breath.

God, the Father, sent His Son;

The Son died once for all.

He then sent the Holy Spirit;

On the great 3-in-1 we now call.

Man is appointed but once to die;

Which path will you choose as your course?

The one will take you to heaven;

The other will bring you remorse.

Becky L. Wall

SOLOMON ADDRESSES THE SUBJECT OF LABOR

SOLOMON ADDRESSES THE SUBJECT OF LABOR

Solomon meditates on the subject of labor in the book of Ecclesiastes, and it is apparent that he is in turmoil. Even though he had everything life had to offer, he seems to be depressed. He struggles to understand the role of labor in life. He is disheartened by the emptiness it brings. In the end he sees that labor does have some value, but that value is not in the material things that money can buy.

Solomon begins by saying, “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” (Eccl. 2:10-11)

A few verses later he continues his lament by saying, “So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without HIM, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Eccl 2:20-25) 

Solomon makes a profound statement in Ecclesiastes, the 4th chapter where he says in the 4th verse, “And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor.” Today we call that “keeping up with the Joneses.” People make excuses to explain why they work longer hours than necessary, and the truth is that they want material possessions, they want to go to impressive places, and they want their kids to have the latest gadgets or toys. They may want no less than their neighbor or friend or family member or whoever they hold in high regard materialistically. Another way of saying that is “whoever they envy.” And they may want others to be envious of them. 

Solomon surmises in Ecclesiastes verse 6 that it is “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” We would be wise to come to the same conclusion. The stress that chasing the dollar brings cancels out any happiness that it brings.

Solomon builds on his reflections in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 6, verse 2: “God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.” Of course their children eventually enjoy them unless they have too much themselves. Then the possessions and the man worked so hard to obtain are sold for a fraction of the cost at an auction or estate sale. His wealth goes to his children to fight over.

God gives possessions to each person, but God does not intend for those things to provide fulfillment in a person’s life, for they are not what is most important. Material possessions cannot fill the void that a relationship with God and family should fill. Those worldly goods eventually begin to rule their lives, for they must be maintained. The person becomes a slave to things. 

Some people spend their earnings on their addiction of choice and this too pulls them away from God and the family. Man cannot serve both money – or the things money can buy -- and God.

Solomon starts to finalize his thoughts in Chapter 9, the 9th-12th verses:

I have seen something else under the sun:

The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.

Moreover, no one knows when their hour will come:
As fish are caught in a cruel net,

or birds are taken in a snare,

so people are trapped by evil times
that fall unexpectedly upon them.

Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

Solomon ends the book of Ecclesiastes with these words found in the 12th chapter starting with the 13th verse:

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

--Becky Wall

POOR BUT RICH

POOR BUT RICH

     My family did not have much money, but we were rich nevertheless. We were not poor because my father was lazy. He worked long, hard hours at jobs that were hazardous and physically demanding. But for many years he received low pay. Low pay plus a large family equals poor. God blessed us with other riches, though, that cannot be found in monetary things.

     My parents had four small children, all girls, over a span of as many years. Even so, when the youngest (twins) were two years old, my parents were willing to take in my two young cousins, a boy and a girl, who had become homeless. They were the same ages as the two oldest of we siblings. A few years later, two more babies, a girl and boy, entered the family about two years apart. Mom and Dad were poor in cash, but rich in compassion and love.

     We learned to have fun naturally and did not rely on the artificial fun that comes from things that money can buy, “canned fun,” or worldly activities. My mother played the piano by ear, so we would often sing church songs around the piano. She and “the twins” each had a great sense of humor, so there was much laughter in our house. We were creative in finding entertainment and adventure. We were rich in spirit.

     Though some treated us as if we were bad and looked down on us because we were poor, we were good people – Christian people. God carried us through several traumas and much adversity, including the suicide of dad's oldest sister, the mother of the two cousins that came to live with us, and He sent his angels to protect us when we had a car wreck that involved all ten of us, and in which my mother’s shoulders were crushed when she and the baby were thrown from the car. That is a story in and of itself. Through all of our trials, God was our hope and our sustainer. We were rich in God’s love and care.

     The poor are not to be despised. Christians are to look at no one from a worldly point of view (II Cor. 5:16). Our commission is to help the poor, including the fatherless, the widows, and the aliens who have no one to help them. Paul told Timothy in one of his letters to command those who have worldly riches “to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (I Timothy 6:18).

     In order for Christians to share their greatest riches with the poor, we must first try to understand them. We must go where they go, do what they do, and feel what they feel. If we really want to make a difference in their lives, we will share the riches of our time, energy, and expertise. A hand-up is worth more to them than a handout, though an occasional handout acts as a blessing to them. We can also point them in the right direction and offer them encouragement. But bear in mind, the poor can increase our riches, too, for there is as much or more to learn from them as they do from us.

     We can be confident that God can restore the poor. He has a special place in His heart for them. God chose those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom. He promised that to those who love him (James 2:5). To those who say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing” He says, “realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (Rev. 3:17). So the question is, who is really rich and who is really poor? 

--Becky Overturf Wall

   

A POOR ATTITUDE

A “POOR” ATTITUDE

(Deut 15:11, 24:15; Prov 14:20, 17:5, 19:7; Eccl 9:16;

Mt 26:11;Mk 14:7; Jn 12:8; Js 2:6)

It isn’t for us to judge the poor--

To condemn them for their plight.

It isn’t for us to shun them,

Or to wish them out of sight.

For they will always be with us,

Says our heavenly Father above.

We are instructed to help them,

And to welcome them with love.

The lowly have always been special;

Even Mary and Joseph were poor.

Though worldly goods did not abound,

How could they want for more?

The rich who condemn the poor,

Yet keep their earnings slim,

Take also their pride and ambition,

By keeping their wages from them.

Those rich who think the poor are fools,

So, towards them they are rude,

Will not see heaven’s riches,

If they have a “poor” attitude.

Becky Overturf Wall

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT CHOICES

LIFE IS ALL ABOUT CHOICES
(Deuteronomy 30:13-20)

Today I set before you
Life and prosperity,
Death and destruction.
I speak with sincerity.

I command you to love the LORD your God,
And to always walk in his ways,
To keep His commands, decrees and laws;
Then He will increase your days.

But if your heart turns away
If you are not compliant,
You will certainly be destroyed,
If you remain defiant.

I call heaven and earth as witnesses,
Life and death I give.
I’ve set before you blessings and curses;
Choose life so you and your children may live.

If you love the LORD your God,
You must listen to His voice,
Hold fast to him for the LORD is your life;
Make life and blessings your choice.

Becky Wall

“'I have the right to do anything,' you say—but not everything is beneficial." “'I have the right to do anything'—but I will not be mastered by anything." I Corinthians 6:12 

But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

GOSSIP: WAGGING THE TONGUE

“Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down. As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Proverbs 26:20-22

WAGGING THE TONGUE

The tongue can be so dangerous.

It causes many people such strife.

And if the  gossip is good enough,

It can even ruin a life.

Gossipers don’t bother with facts,

They invent them as they go.

They embellish, enhance, twist, and shock,

And cause a person much woe.

Gossipers cause dissension;

They separate close friends.

They can never keep a secret,

And they can never make amends.

The damage they do cannot be undone;

When they talk behind someone’s back.

They don’t withhold any detail.

And for details they have no lack.

Their tongues wag on and on,

As they seek to tell anyone.

If they run out of things to tell,

To another they will run.

They are known as busybodies,

But not in the sense of labor.

God considers them wicked,

For they cause much harm to their neighbor.

A gossip can hurt someone’s feelings,

Or ruin a person’s reputation.

If the gossip comes from one with power,

It can change the course of the nation..

Keep a bridle on your tongue,

You might even zip your lip.

We will give an account for every idle word,

So don’t let one tidbit slip.

Becky Wall

WEATHERING A STORM

WEATHERING A STORM

On the sea of life sailed the Lord and I,

Then storm clouds began to roll.

Ill winds blew, and troubles poured;

The stress was taking its toll.

Several of us were in the same boat;

Some were spiritually dead.

I cried to Him, “Don’t you even care?”

“Hush!  Be still!”  He said.

Fortunately, He didn’t mean me,

And my heart settled into a calm.

“Why did you fear? Where was your faith?”

Said He as he showed me His palm.

I had to strain my eyes to see;

In His hand was a mustard seed.

He said, “Oh ye of little faith.

This much is all you need.”

Like the mustard seed, my faith has grown;

I don’t just talk the talk.

As long as I trust Jesus,

On water I can walk.

Becky Overturf Wall

TIME SPENT

TIME SPENT

If time were spent like money, how would you be found spending yours? Time can be spent the same as money: You can make it, gain it, owe it, budget it, invest it, tithe it, be behind in it, have none, be generous with it, be greedy with it, or spend it on pleasures. You can even steal time (from your other endeavors). But the worst one can do with time, as with money, is to waste it.

Time management is one of my weakest attributes. I am often selfish with my time. At home I do those things I want to do before those things I should do. I do the things I want without hesitation, but I waste time getting to those things I ought to do, then waste time while doing them. My spirit is willing but my flesh is weak. Or maybe it’s my mind that’s weak – or maybe even my character.

There is a saying that goes, “You’ll never find time for anything; you must make it.” We usually make time for those things that are most important to us. The amount of time spent on someone or something is a measure of our devotion to that person or cause.

We can measure our devotion to the Lord the same way. Do you cheerfully tithe an ample portion of your time to the Lord in Bible study and prayer? Are you spending time with your loved ones and tending to the needs of the poor and lonely, as God commands?

Are the things that are important to God important to you? When you daydream about how you will spend your spare time, to what does your mind travel? When you are counting the minutes until your job or other obligations are met, to what are you drawn? Does it meet with God’s approval?

Time spent at work is an obligation, not a gift; no love is involved. Even time spent at church can become an obligation. The attitude of the heart is the measure. Time spent with God, or in meeting the needs of a neighbor or Christian brother in order to please God, is a gift of love and also a ministry, but is also the duty of man.

There is great pleasure to be found in giving gifts to someone you love. When love is involved, the gift is never given begrudgingly, like paying taxes. Giving your time to someone you love or someone in need is often the greatest gift you could give that person. There is joy in giving for both the giver and the receiver.

“Time is money and money is time,” the old saying goes, but the emphasis is on money. To God, your time is worth the most. Be careful how you spend yours.

--Becky Wall

IMAGINATION RUN WILD: A PRE-BIRTH CHARGE

A PRE-BIRTH CHARGE

Imagine you appeared with Christ,

Just outside heaven’s gate.

He said He had a mission for you;

You were thrilled; you could hardly wait.

He said to earth you would go,

Of a man and woman to be born.

When He showed you a list of His challenges,

You dropped to your knees to mourn.

For on that list He handed you,

Were trials and temptations,

Grievous things, like sickness and death,

Abuse, and persecutions.

“I’ll give you several talents,” He said;

“Don’t let Satan steal them away.

If they are used to edify me,

You will one day come here to stay.”

“I have prepared the way for you;

Your guide will be my Word.

Gird yourself with my armor;

Your prayers will always be heard.”

He lifted me up and held me close,

“You will always be in my care.”

He continued to comfort with His words:

“Your burdens I will help you to bear.”

“I will see you again one day;

In the meantime I offer my grace.

Just ask for my mercy and pardon,

Til we meet again face to face.”

“And if you sin along the way,

Or if you feel you have failed,

Pray to me for forgiveness,

That’s why on the cross I was nailed.”

“You won't remember my Words this day,

But this list I’ll again make known.

At the end of your life we’ll review it,

When you stand at my judgment throne.”

Becky Wall