The Gift vs The Giver Who Wins?

Jonah 4:3
Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Jonah 4:6
Then the LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant.

Jonah was told by God to go to Nineveh. Jonah didn’t like the people of Nineveh, so he ran away from God’s assignment to Tarshish. While on the way to Tarshish God caused a storm at sea and Jonah had to be thrown into the sea for being the cause of the storm, by his own confession. A fish swallowed Jonah and after three days Jonah cried to God for help and the fish vomited him at the shores of Nineveh.

Jonah wanted God to punish Nineveh. God wanted Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh that God will destroy them because of their sins. Jonah was concerned that if the people of Nineveh repent, God will forgive them, Jonah 4:2. Jonah did not want the people of Nineveh forgiven. That is why he didn’t want to come and preach!

Now that Jonah finds himself in Nineveh, he preached anyway. He did the bare minimum. He tried to be as less convincing as possible. He just said enough to communicate God’s word. Then he went down to sit far from the city of Nineveh to see it destroyed by God. To Jonah’s disappointment, the people of Nineveh repented. Jonah is now very angry with God. Jonah doesn’t like God and he is willing and ready to die rather than face the reality that his preaching and God’s love will cause the people of Nineveh to be spared from destruction.

Jonah sits down hoping God changes his mind and destroys Nineveh. Jonah is angry with God and has told God the same in their conversation. What does God do to Jonah who is angry with Him? God gives Jonah a gift of a plant that would serve as a cool shade when the sun is hot. Jonah loves the plant that miraculously grows. Jonah loves the plant but he is still angry with God who gave him the plant. He loves the gift and hates the Giver. The gift vs the Giver, who wins?

Is it possible we also love the gifts we get from God but we are reluctant to relate with God? Life is a gift from God. How many living people who enjoy this gift are extremely reluctant to go and worship God who gave the gift? Like Jonah, they love the gift more than the Giver! The gift vs the Giver, who wins?

Deuteronomy 8:18
But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Abilities are God-given. We celebrate men and women of abilities. We have magazines like Forbes and others that highlight people with great abilities. We have a unanimous attraction and appreciation of talent, but somehow we are sharply and bitterly divided on the concept of God who gives abilities. We love the gift, but we are reluctant to worship the Giver. The gift vs the Giver, who wins?

We do everything to nurture talent in our children. We take risks and sacrifice everything to ensure the children’s ability to make wealth in the future is secure. But we would not do a quarter of that to bring up children who are faithful to God. We are quickly and easily willing to sacrifice the things of God for the sake of the ability that God gives to make wealth. Like Jonah, we love the gift and hate the Giver. The gift vs the Giver, who wins?

Psalms 24:1
The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it;

Everything else that we are chasing and working hard for belongs to God. Everything in the world and even the people we are desperate to please belong to God. You badly want a man or woman in your life, they all belong to God. Yet we would sacrifice our relationship with God to get things and people who belong to God. Like Jonah, we love the gift but we hate the Giver. The gift vs the Giver, who wins?

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

Our safety and sustainable happiness in life are in prioritizing the Giver over the gifts. We must love God in all and every way. We must seek first to be part of God’s kingdom before seeking anything else. If we love the Giver, then any gift can be ours at any time. If we love the gift, we can be denied that gift and it can be repossessed anytime. Dear God, save us from the madness of loving the gift more than the Giver. Enable us to prioritize you the Giver, in Jesus’ name, Amen!

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