Jesus gives us the confidence to come to
Him during our times of need. He gave us a great example of how we can come to
the needs of others as well. Read the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke
10:25-37. Why didn’t the other two men
help the beaten man? How would you respond? The short answer is that the two men did not have or show compassion.
We can learn a lot from Obadiah and Jonah and their
stories of from two bad groups of people
that had God’s judgment upon them. There are three areas on which we should
seek answers.
1.
How we can do things for God we really don’t want to do? Israel had a long
(bad) history with the Edomites. Jonah would rather die than go to Nineveh. What are things you would not want to do
(and why)?
2.
How to minister to people we do not like. What
keeps us from “liking” someone?
3.
How to give God the glory. Where is your focus? Is it on what we don’t want to
do with people we don’t like or is your focus on God and His ways?
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame,and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. - Hebrews 12:1-3
Amen?
