Wednesday, April 27, 2011
The other day I was at the store getting a number of different items for the coming week. When I got to the checkout, the clerk had trouble getting my debit card to scan correctly. After what seemed a half a dozen swipes or more the transaction was complete. For a moment I wondered: 1) How many times was I charged? 2) Did I actually pay for anything at all? Not more than three seconds after this thought was I handed a single receipt giving the evidence I had hoped for ...
Jonah 3:9-10 (3:1-10) "Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?" Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.
RECEIPT FOR PAYMENT OF ...
Twice the LORD had told Jonah to go to Nineveh to speak His Word of repentance to them. The first time, Jonah went the opposite direction and that ended him up in the belly of a huge fish for three days and three nights. The second time was after the LORD had shown him mercy and made the fish vomit him out onto dry land. He went the second time. It shouldn't be surprising that the people of Nineveh repented. That was God's purpose in sending Jonah there: so that they could hear about what God thought of their wickedness. But the king of Nineveh wasn't so sure about the Lord's mercy (verse 9). He wondered if God would turn away His anger from them.
It is very difficult sometimes to believe that God would forgive not only one of my sins, but ALL my sins. I might even wonder like I did at the store, how many times has God brought a charge against me? I don't even know all the sins I've ever committed! And I have no clue how many times I should have done something that I didn't. So who can really tell if God will forgive, or if He actually paid for anything on the cross? I can! That's what Jesus' resurrection is all about! His victory is our victory! It was God's "Receipt for the payment of ..." sin, which Christ paid "double" the full price ... for me (Isaiah 40:2).
Jesus lives! To Him the throne h o'er heaven and earth is given.
I shall go where He is gone, Live and reign with Him in heaven.
God is faithful. Doubtings, hence! This shall be my confidence.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 201:2 -- Sing it!)
