Etch-a-Sketch

If you are too young to remember, Google it. Before iPods, iPads, & tablets with games and graphics, kids played with a red square plastic screen called the “Etch-a-Sketch. There were two knobs on the bottom you could turn. You could write and draw a gray line on the small screen. Kids would doodle and draw about anything.

Then when you were tired of the messy lines, just shake the screen real hard and the graphite inside would clear away. Now you had a clear slate to to start over. Genius! This is a terrific illustration of what God’s grace looks like in the Bible.

We are given a do-over and a second chance to make something better. If our personal picture and story in life gets messy, God shakes things up through Jesus, giving us a clean slate again. Wow, God!

The story of Jonah in the Bible is NOT really about a big fish. It’s a story of a man like all of us. A person with doubts, fears, and big struggles with faithfulness and obedience. Jonah was an ordinary guy; a regular guy running from responsibility. But God still chose to use him in an extraordinary moment, bringing revival to a crazy, wicked city called Ninevah.

Join us this weekend for part three (chapter 3) for our current summer series, JONAH, GO! Aren’t you glad God never gives up on us. Jonah was a rascal for sure. He was a prophet of God who was commissioned to speak the Truth to others. We learned, last week, Jonah still was head strong, even going in the wrong direction of God’s will. When Jonah said, “No,” God said, “Oh!” We’ll see about that.

Sometimes God will allow storms in our life to get our attention. Jonah found himself in the bottom of the deep blue sea, crying desperately for a rescue. Tell everybody you know, who feels hopeless, read the story of Jonah. It’s amazing how determined God becomes in His pursuit to get us back on track. God loves people (John 3:16) all of them, even saints who sometimes say, “Not today, God.”

God wanted to create a brand new attitude for Jonah and everyone. He will use whatever is needed; even a big fish to swallow us whole. Then God spits us out the shore; more ready to trust and obey, there’s no other way. Say, Amen! Keep this in mind, “Delayed obedience, is really disobedience.” Craig Groescel.

This weekend is Father’s Day at Journey. We’ll use the story of Jonah to guide a few thoughts for dads/grandads how important are relationships with our kids, family, and God. God will do anything, GO anywhere to reach us, bringing us home. Jesus changes everything.

See you inside and online Journey Sat@6pm and Sun@10:30am. Bring a seat buddy and help them enjoy Father’s Day with YOU. We’ve got meat pizza from Domino’s on the Journey coffee bar for everyone to enjoy. Can you have pizza for breakfast? At Journey you can.

Come on Dad… grab a slice and smile… it’s not over. God gives us all second chances…. Go God!