Jonah, P31 Community Group

Writing Facebook group posts based on the First 5 app posts - each of us on the writing team have our own days - I’m the Thursday leader.

Week One

Hi there! It’s nice to meet you!
I’m Shelby — I’m from Bakersfield, CA, where it’s starting to warm up and will most likely require a lot of escaping town during the summer months, just for a quick break from the heat.
I work in marketing and communications at one of the California State University campuses here. I handle our main social media accounts — there’s never a dull moment with scheduling, creating reels and other content and always staying on top of what’s next in the higher education realm. But, I really enjoy it! It allows me to get creative but also strategize, which I love.
I’m so excited to be your study leader on Thursdays throughout the study of Jonah!
What are you most looking forward to, or hoping to receive from, the next several weeks?
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001.

There have been many times in my life that I’ve been asleep spiritually, much like today’s reading in Jonah 5:1-6.
In fact, in the last few years, as I’ve been looking for a new home church, I realize it’s also been easier for me to use that as an excuse to sit more on the sidelines. Or to rationalize doing XYZ, or isolate from other believers.
It’s easy to fall into sinful complacency. To hear what the world tells us is okay, even when we know better, or allow things into our lives that would be better off on the outside. We rationalize “I’m just doing this and that" or “it was only that one time..” Until it’s not.
That’s what this wakeup call was for Jonah, both spiritually and physically — to call on God. And truthfully, this was a wakeup call that I needed. I think we all need to be reminded of this at times, no matter where we are in our faith journeys.
My other fellow Shelby raises a good question — Are there areas in our lives in which we’re slumbering in sin? How has God gotten your attention?
Something to think about today as you sit with God during your quiet time.
I’ll close us in prayer: Lord, thank You that we’re never out of Your reach. That You are always chasing after us and showing us how we can be better and live better for You in your loving ways. Continue to highlight the sin and how we can remove it from our lives and walk in the light of Your Word and hear Your voice more clearly than the world’s. In Your name, amen.

002.

Our decisions, big or small, can make a big impact on not only our lives, but the lives of those around us. Can you recall a time that a decision you made pulled others down with you?
Maybe it was something as innocent as talking while the teacher was teaching during class in elementary school and because of your disobedience, the rest of the class had to skip recess.
Other times, it’s a bit more serious like speaking words or taking actions that divided your family in a way you never would have imagined and had lasting impact
Our choices have consequences. In Jonah’s case, it was running away from God and avoiding God’s instruction that led him straight into the storm.
Brittany J. Turner breaks this down in today’s reading on the app: “Jonah’s running and resistance were symptoms of his deeper spiritual rebellion, and God mercifully allowed the storm to expose this. Yet even as "the sea grew more and more tempestuous" (Jonah 1:11), Jonah didn’t fully submit to God. He acknowledged "it is because of me" and accepted the storm’s consequences (Jonah 1:12), but he didn’t actually repent and choose obedience. Repentance means turning back to God, accepting His grace, and aligning our hearts with His will (Acts 3:19). This is not the same as simply surrendering to the consequences of our sin.”
Jonah’s decision to run away, when he was called to Ninevah, not only made things rocky for him, but an entire ship of sailors. In his defense, he asked them to throw him overboard, thinking that would stop the storm, since it was his actions that led to that.
With God, iIt isn’t enough to just accept the consequences for our actions. We have to fully repent of our sin to God, and commit to turn back. To not continue down the same path we’ve been on. God seeks a changed heart.
When you find yourself in a place of disobedience, how do you shift from simply accepting consequences to fully moving into confession and repentance?

003.

Like Dr. Joel Muddamalle in today’s teaching, I too, at times find it hard time to ask for help. It’s vulnerable and often makes me feel like a failure, like I can’t do something on my own. But, we aren’t meant to do life that way, are we?
It wasn’t until I lost my job in 2022 that I realized the importance of asking for help and needing community. During that time, I never felt more alone.
I didn’t see it coming, didn’t know what I was going to do next. I left the office, barely able to pack up my things and say my goodbyes. I got in the car and wasn’t sure exactly where I was going. Home?
What does one do on Tuesday morning at 10 a.m.? I cried and I prayed whatever random thoughts I was able to voice, and then decided to call my newer friend from church.
Jonah 2:1-2 says, “*Then Jonah prayed to the Lᴏʀᴅ his God from the belly of the fish, saying, 'I called out to the Lᴏʀᴅ, out of my distress, and he answered me …”*
After running from, and avoiding, God, Jonah finally called out to Him from the belly of a “fish.” This was a desperate plea for help - an ‘I’ve come come to the end of my rope’ kind of prayers, similar to the one I prayed after losing my job.
That season taught me much about relying on God. I had to rely on Him and the love and support of others, who rallied around me in that time. It was one step at a time, one foot in front of the other, to get through.
Though we may not like them, even try to avoid them, moments like Jonah’s, getting caught in the belly of a whale are sure hard to avoid. But, God sometimes allows these moments to get our attention. Without them, we’d keep swimming along, acting as if everything is fine, even when we see the storm heading our way and should think better of it.
Is there something you’ve experienced recently where you know God’s trying to get your attention? Take a few minutes after this to stop and consider how you can surrender and ask Him for help. He’s ready and waiting for you.

004.

If you’re on social media enough, or even just read the headlines, you know that almost as soon as someone misspeaks or missteps, they’re typically canceled. They might lose endorsement deals, followers and just about any other project their name is attached to. Some might apologize for their behavior or post a statement that they’ll be better. Only to fall into the same activities over again.
Truthfully, we’re all guilty of saying or doing wrong things on a daily basis. It’s our human nature.
Thankfully, God doesn’t cancel us or cancel His plans when we don’t make the right choice the first time. Our failures aren’t final with God. Aren’t you so thankful for that, friend?
He will, however, kindly redirect us or give us a second chance to do the thing He’s calling us to do, so long as we repent of our old ways.
Jonah 3:1-3 reminds us of Jonah’s second chance, and how God helped him get back on track and move forward in the plans God had for him.
Can you think of a time when you repented for your actions and God showed grace and mercy, even when the world might have turned its back on you? Share a prayer of gratitude to our Heavenly Father and His forgiveness.

005.

“…and he was angry.”
In Jonah 4:1, we see Jonah, not just become irritated with God’s mercy toward the people of Ninevah, but deep with anger.
In Hebrew, it translates to: “charah”— Literally meaning, “it burned to him.” A more eloquent way of saying Jonah was seething. The very same mercy God had shown Jonah was now the very thing that upset Jonah.
It’s easy to read Jonah’s story and ask, ‘wow, how could he express an emotion so opposite from God’s’? But, how many times do you and I do the very same? We don’t bother to question God’s mercy when it’s directed at us, but as soon as we deem it ‘not fair’ when others are let off the hook, we tend to change our tone.
We try to bargain, reason or justify our sins.
Today’s teaching and verse reveals the dichotomy of the human experience when it comes to mercy. God doesn’t hold onto grudges or compare our sins the way we do.
Aren’t you grateful, friend, that God’s mercy exceeds our human expectations? Is there something in your life, recently, where God has checked you on showing grace to others the way He has for you?

006.

Friend, I don’t know about you, but trivial, material worldly things often trip me up. Amazon won’t send my order in time for the birthday party, not getting the title or promotion I felt I deserved, or any number of things.
My most recent experience involved a book. I’m an avid reader. The kind that counts down for book releases of highly-anticipated authors and novels. I recently ordered one I’d been anxiously awaiting, one signed by the author, only to find out it was canceled by Premiere Collectibles. I was upset!
I know, I know – it isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. It didn’t change my life, for better or worse.
We find a similar story in Jonah 4:10-11.
“And the Lord said, ‘You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?’”
Jonah became attached to this plant. But, he ultimately had nothing to do with it. God had provided the plant for him, but Jonah missed the context for which God provided it. He focused on all the wrong things.
How can you show the same care and attention for the places and people God puts on your heart, rather than focusing on self? I’m asking myself that same question and praying about it today.

Genesis, P31First 5 Community Group

Over the course of six weeks, Fresh Start covers the book of Genesis through personal stories and scripture in our Facebook community group.

Introduction Week | Foundations
Week Two
Week Three
Week Four
Week Five
Week Six

Have you seen the cartoon meme of Jesus and a little girl that pops up on social media from time to time? She holds a small teddy bear in front of her and says, “But, I love it God.” Jesus is crouched down to her level, holding a much larger teddy bear behind His back with a hand outstretched and says, “Just trust me.”

Friends, while this meme is a simplistic picture of a complex emotion or action, to me, it serves as one of the most accurate depictions of what it means to trust God. We hold on so tightly to our dreams and/or our people, most of which are God-given. And yet, when He asks us to give them up, because He has something better, doubt and fear creep in.

Perhaps it’s because we’re used to human nature's ways of doing things. People tell each other things all the time that don’t work out. They’re canceled or fall through. And some even break our trust.

Today’s lesson, breaking down Genesis 22, relays a story of the ultimate test of trusting God. God asks Abraham to use his son, Isaac, as a living sacrifice, and to kill him on the altar. Abraham takes every step necessary toward obeying God’s instruction.

Imagine having that kind of faith, to courageously step into whatever God has called you to. Or to lay down what He’s asking you to give up, even when you have no idea what comes next. We can pray for that faith! Here’s my prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I pray that when the times come for our faith to be tested, we will rise to the occasion and trust You. You know what’s best for our lives and will always provide when You tell us You will. Work in our hearts to give up those things we think we love most so we can allow room for you to work.

In Your name,

Amen.

Is God asking you to lay something on the altar today? How have you seen Him come through on His promises before that reminds you He will do it again?

There’s the old expression, “father knows best.” And, that’s usually accurate. Has there ever been a moment in your life where you’ve gone to your father (or mother) for advice and they give it to you? But, thinking you still know best, you do what you wanted only to find that your parents were right in the end?

I think we can all say we’ve been there, whether it’s something that could have saved us a world of heartache, staying away from the wrong crowd in school, or something as simple as not running in the house. If our parents have greater wisdom and insight because they’ve lived more life than we have, can you just imagine how much more our Heavenly Father knows?

There’s a reason God asked Adam and Eve not to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Why He warned Noah and his family of the flood, and why God, at the building of the tower of Babel, took away the unity of one language He gave at creation.

Those building the tower weren’t concerned about bringing glory to God, but rather, focused on making a name for themselves. So, instead of continuing with one language, God introduced various languages which then scattered His people over the face of the earth.

Lisa Alvin-Meyer talks more about this in today’s lesson — “As Christians, we know we are saved only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ and not through any of our own ambitions, aspirations or accomplishments (Ephesians 2:8-9). Still, like the builders at Babel, we are tempted to succumb to pride and chase our own selfish pursuits….”

God’s wisdom is infinite. When He guides us on a path, although we might not understand or comprehend what He’s doing, it’s for our good and protection. But, even when we go astray from His plans, He finds a way to bring justice, mercy and humbles us with His love and grace.

How have you seen God’s grace turn around what could have otherwise been a messy situation in your own life?

It’s easy to say that God is with us or know that He provides, when everything is going well. But, to live it out in the middle of a life storm takes another level of trust. Between Denise Pass’ blog and Genesis 46-47, I’m reminded of God’s provision for His people.

In early 2022, I lost my full-time job. I still worked part-time for my church, but it wasn’t enough to sustain a living. I didn’t see it coming at all. I was at a loss on what to do next, and it required me to pause.

Where would I get another job?

Would I be able to make rent and stay in my apartment?

All the anxiety and fear of the unknown required me to lean into God and ask what He wanted me to learn from that season. Family and friends rallied around me at one of my lowest points. They opened their homes to me and provided meals or basic necessities to me, but most importantly they prayed for me and encouraged me. Other freelance opportunities opened up with contacts I’d had in the past to make extra money as I waited for unemployment or another job to come.

“Sometimes we can fail to recognize the blessings of God because of harsh circumstances surrounding us, yet He holds our very breath and life in His hands (Revelation 4:11; Isaiah 42:5),” Denise says in her post.

It was the same in Egypt. While the people didn’t have food to eat, Joseph bought the land and provided seed for them to plant. “…Give a fifth of it to Pharaoh. The other four-fifths you may keep as seed for the fields and as food for yourselves and your households and your children.”

Even in the drought and famine, God prepared Joseph to provide for his family, along with the people of Canaan and Egypt. He does the same for us, even in the simplest situations.

How has God provided for you recently, where through our earthly eyes it might not make sense?