Jonas: One day, about 8 years ago, Scott found himself walking out to his car and having a conversation with God. These conversations with God had become more and more frequent as Scott had been falling in love with The One that saved him from a life of death and destruction. He had been given glimpses of what Genesis meant when it said that Adam would walk with God in the cool of the garden--and this reality of a friendship with God, had begun to change Scott's life drastically. He had been hearing the encouraging words from His heavenly father that were not only healing to his heart, but had begun to breathe Hope back into His soul. And, as Scott walked out of his house that day, 8 years ago, he was in mid conversation with God when he asked Him: "God, what do you have for me today?" God's response was clear, yet, unexpected. "You will be a a father to a son...His name will be Jonas." Unsure of what to do with a promise like that, Scott shelved it away in the back of his mind and went on with his day...quietly expecting the promises of God to come to pass, in His perfect time.
When we found out that we were pregnant we begin to have conversations with God about what we should name our first child. As we did, Scott was reminded of that one promise God had given him 8 years ago: Jonas. We looked up the name "Jonas," in a baby book to discover that the name derived from the biblical name Jonah. When researching Jonah we found that the name had two meanings: 1) Dove; which represents peace. 2) He will accomplish.
As I started reading back through the book of Jonah, I felt like God was highlighting a few different things to me in the story. Though God already knew what Jonah's response would be when He initially asked Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the people to turn from their evil ways, Jonah's first response was to run! He didn't want to. He was scared, and wanted nothing to do with it, so Jonah ran away. However, God's call on Jonah's life was irrevocable (Rom 11:29), and God pursued Jonah still. After a horrific storm, being "man over board," and getting swallowed up by a fish--Jonah finally realizes that God is in fact Lord...and Good. He realizes, that by some miracle of God, he is still alive. He realizes that his blatant disobedience and running from God should have resulted in death. Yet God, having mercy on Jonah and a plan for his life, had compassion on his son. And Jonah's response, was worship:
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Willing: In the midst of despair, Jonah chooses to turn towards God. He could have sat in bitterness. He could have wallowed in victim mentality, but instead, He chose to "remember God" for who He really is: Good. Because God loves us, He gives everyone the opportunity to have free will. Though He loves each one of us immensely/unconditionally, He won't force us to love Him back, after all, what kind of love would that really be? Love is a choice; a willingness to choose to love someone. So God waits. He waits to see if the ones He so tenderly created would choose to love him back. And in Jonah's case, Jonah resolves that there is no one else that He would rather serve. Oh, he for sure had his days. He was human just like any one of us--but in the belly of a fish, Jonah's heart decided to love God no matter the cost--and at the end of everyday, He would choose to love God still and submit to God's will. Why? Because Jonah realized that his "salvation comes from the Lord alone."
When we found out that we were pregnant we begin to have conversations with God about what we should name our first child. As we did, Scott was reminded of that one promise God had given him 8 years ago: Jonas. We looked up the name "Jonas," in a baby book to discover that the name derived from the biblical name Jonah. When researching Jonah we found that the name had two meanings: 1) Dove; which represents peace. 2) He will accomplish.
As I started reading back through the book of Jonah, I felt like God was highlighting a few different things to me in the story. Though God already knew what Jonah's response would be when He initially asked Jonah to go to Nineveh and tell the people to turn from their evil ways, Jonah's first response was to run! He didn't want to. He was scared, and wanted nothing to do with it, so Jonah ran away. However, God's call on Jonah's life was irrevocable (Rom 11:29), and God pursued Jonah still. After a horrific storm, being "man over board," and getting swallowed up by a fish--Jonah finally realizes that God is in fact Lord...and Good. He realizes, that by some miracle of God, he is still alive. He realizes that his blatant disobedience and running from God should have resulted in death. Yet God, having mercy on Jonah and a plan for his life, had compassion on his son. And Jonah's response, was worship:
“I sank beneath the waves,
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
I was imprisoned in the earth,
whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
As my life was slipping away,
I remembered the Lord.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
in your holy Temple.
Those who worship false gods
turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”
-Jonah 2:5-9
Willing: In the midst of despair, Jonah chooses to turn towards God. He could have sat in bitterness. He could have wallowed in victim mentality, but instead, He chose to "remember God" for who He really is: Good. Because God loves us, He gives everyone the opportunity to have free will. Though He loves each one of us immensely/unconditionally, He won't force us to love Him back, after all, what kind of love would that really be? Love is a choice; a willingness to choose to love someone. So God waits. He waits to see if the ones He so tenderly created would choose to love him back. And in Jonah's case, Jonah resolves that there is no one else that He would rather serve. Oh, he for sure had his days. He was human just like any one of us--but in the belly of a fish, Jonah's heart decided to love God no matter the cost--and at the end of everyday, He would choose to love God still and submit to God's will. Why? Because Jonah realized that his "salvation comes from the Lord alone."
Jonas Willing McBrayer: Years later when Jonas's friends ask our son what his name means, he will be able to respond with, "God will accomplish all things He has planned for me, because my heart is willing." Our son won't be perfect--that we know for sure. He will be born into sin--like us all (Rom 3:23), but our prayer is that Jonas would fall in love with the same God that we have. That our Jonas would be a man who chooses to love God and say "yes" to Him--even to "Nineveh," and to the ends of the earth. Our prayer is that no matter how many times he "runs," that at the end of the day, he would discover the kind pursuit of God and recognize His goodness towards him. Our prayer, is that Jonas would declare the word of God to all people so that he too may see nations saved (Jonah 3). And our prayer, is that above all things, that Jonas would know without a shadow of doubt, that his salvation comes from the Lord alone.
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