Committed to Christ, Part 3

Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the stomach of the fish, and he said, “I called out of my distress to the Lord, and He answered me. I cried for help from the depth of Sheol; You heard my voice. For You had cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the current engulfed me. All Your breakers and billows passed over me. So I said, ‘I have been expelled from Your sight. Nevertheless I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ Water encompassed me to the point of death. The great deep engulfed me, weeds were wrapped around my head. I descended to the roots of the mountains. The earth with its bars was around me forever, but You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord my God. While I was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to You, into Your holy temple. Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness, but I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.” Then the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah up onto the dry land.   Jonah 2:1-10

One of the common “run-arounds” we give God when we don’t want to obey is “the substitute.” But keep in mind one unchanging biblical principle which cannot be disregarded: Incomplete obedience is disobedience. There is no substitute for complete obedience.

In a world which denies absolutes, that statement is in for ridicule. But we serve a God Who has a goal and is working it out not only on the grand scale of nations and continents but also in the lives of individuals who know Him through His Word, His Son, and His Spirit. Our point of challenge often comes in wanting to reduce the requirements for obedience - and so we offer a substitute.

“Not accepted,” says God. “I want the real thing.” That is the message of God’s dealing with mankind all through the Bible. We are to live and find our purpose according to His agenda - not ours. That is the heart of commitment. Will I choose to surrender all of my life to the purpose and plan of God? Will I trust Him? Will I be faithful to Him? Will He provide for my needs? Put Him to the test. That how you will find out.

“Those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness.” Jonah 2:8