WORD FOR THE WEEK

Those who cling to worthless idols 

forfeit the grace that could be theirs.

Jonah 2:8

Are you not receiving grace that could be yours because you are clinging to a worthless idol? When we think of our idols in America, we usually think of things like money, cars, furnishings, clothes, shoes...stuff.

But as I heard this verse in Sunday School yesterday, I was reminded of what Ann Voskamp had said in my One Thousand Gifts Bible Study - "All is grace! Are there things in your life that you still can't count as graces from God?" She was referring to the hard things of life. The bad things. The sad things. 

Are you looking at your past constantly wishing it could be changed? 

Can you not get beyond a devastating loss in your life?

Are you going through a storm being overwhelmed and beaten down?

Can you not forgive?
Has your life not taken the path you wanted?

Can you not receive the bad and the sad as from the hand of God?

Then it's a possibility that you are clinging to a worthless idol.

Don't forfeit the grace God has for you.

"But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you." Jonah 2:9

Perhaps the giving of thanks is the sacrifice that opens the door to receiving His grace.