Tuesday, after 3 cups of coffee I encouraged the congregation to read the OT book Jonah over and over again so i figure I better do it myself. It's like God has hit me upside the head and I am reading Jonah for the first time ever. I mean, I always knew the story about the man who got swallowed up by the whale and then vommitted back onto the beach after he said a little prayer but there is soooo much more to it than that. This dude reminds me of every disgruntled pew sitter I ever seen in church. After all, you got this guy who is a Hebrew Jew who supposedly knows God, probably does the whole temple worship thing but obviously is just going through the motions. He reminds me of people who just come to church, gripe about the music, mouth off about the preacher's sermon, and goes back home, unaffected, living there life in mediocrity. Jonah gets a Word from God, I mean an actual Word from God. God spoke to Jonah and he freakin ignored it. Come on Jonah...... really now Jonah. Jonah ignores God and goes his own way. The deal is Jonah is basically miserable through the whole story even when he obeys God. Then it hit me......sometimes I am miserble even when I am obeying God. Sometimes I am resentful and unhappy because of my own selfishness and issues. It so hard to just sit back and take a deep breath and look at the big picture of our lives. There is got to be more than just doing church, going through the motions, throwing up a prayer now and again, no pun intended. I want to really answer God's call, answer his call with a whole heart. Be happy in the Lord, help people find Jesus. I want my life to count not just muddle through the day. You know what the kicker is if I feel this way and I am the preacher......I wonder if anybody else does. Hey Blogg me back.....be real.... John loves ya....and so does Jesus