There is a question to be answered.  It is so important that we know the ANSWER!

In reading the narrative of Jonah, I discovered that God asked His prophet questions (fourteen in total).  Of all the questions God asked Jonah, which were recorded in the book, eleven questions were directed toward Jonah.

After re-reading Jonah’s two calls from God to “go,” it is important that we remember Jonah’s heart.  Jonah did not wish to go, so he ran in the other direction.  After God dealt with Jonah’s disobedience, Jonah turned around and went the way God directed him to go, but then the prophet came to another dilemma.  When receiving the second call to go, Jonah went in the right direction, but he came face-to-face with his hard-heartedness when those he went to preach to actually responded to God’s call to repent.

See with me the Apostle Luke’s account of Jonah’s situation, but let us notice more how all the words are red—Jesus’ teaching of how every believer, every Christian should answer the QUESTION.

Today, I found myself confronted with my heart.  I found myself looking at the questions God asks us, things His Holy Spirit leads us to see about our own hearts.  I must admit, it’s easier to obey God in action than it is to obey God in heart, mind, strength, and soul.

We are God’s children, called to be His ambassadors in the world in which we live.  How are we doing with that calling?  Are we lifting up the light who resides within us, or are we covering up the light, only uncovering the light when it is convenient (to us)?

We are God’s family, brothers and sisters, called to be His disciples in the dark world in which we live.  How are we doing?  As we walk in the light surrounded by the darkness (the dark world where we reside) lifting up the light of Jesus, or are we covering the light so that we too reflect the darkness found in the world?

We are God’s possession, bought with a price—the shed blood of Jesus, our Savior.  Our entire body was saved when we gave our heart to Jesus.  Our whole body is now filled with the Light of the world.  Are we shining the light of Jesus into every dark place we walk as we go throughout our days, fully illuminating the path before us, shedding light in the world where the LIGHT of the WORLD is needed, or are we deciding for ourselves when we share the Light of Jesus and when we do not, deciding who needs to hear the Word of God and who does not?

Are we playing God?

Are we deciding who & when we should share Jesus?

—OR—

Are we walking through our lives as the obedient children of God we have been called to be?

As we share Jesus with the world, we will receive a variety of responses:

• Some will openly reject the message, making it seem as if they are rejecting us, but it is the TRUTH of JESUS as SAVIOR they are rejecting, so we must continue to share JESUS!
• Some will politely listen, pretending interest or really contemplate the gospel message, but then they will turn away from the TRUTH of JESUS as SAVIOR, but we must continue to share JESUS!
• Some will listen and receive the gospel message.  In receiving, they will accept, believe, and confess the TRUTH of JESUS as SAVIOR.  So, it is imperative that we share JESUS!

I read that “Faith means trusting in advance what will make sense only in reverse.”—Philip Yancey.  There is Hope & His name is JESUS!

The QUESTION:  How do we keep the Light (God’s Light alive within us) from becoming dim?

• We don’t dabble in dark ways.
• We don’t play in the darkness, naively thinking we will remain untouched.
• We walk into darkness, only with the Light of God as our illumination.
• We read God’s Word every day.
• We listen to God every day.
• We walk with God every day.
• We hear & obey God every day.
• We take Jesus with us—everywhere—every single day!

There is a question to be answered.

It is so important that we know the ANSWER to the Question BEFORE we step outside into the darkness found in this world!