2019  CATHEDRAL LENTEN DEVOTIONAL

DAY:                     ONE (ASH WEDNESDAY).

DATE:                   MARCH 6, 2019.

THEME:              THESE FORTY DAYS AND ALWAYS, I SHALL NOT BE OVERTHROWN.

TEXT:                   JONAH 3:4.

INTRODUCTION: To overthrow is to remove someone or something from power, especially by force.

Our God has the power to overthrow and to enthrone.  Daniel acknowledged this in Daniel 2:21, and Nebuchadnezzar experienced it in Daniel 4 when God demoted him and later restored him to his throne after coming back to his senses – Dan. 4:34-37.

CONTEXT: One thing is certain with God: He has a way of warning us and giving us time to repent before passing His judgment.  The case before us was that of Jonah who, on account of the ridiculous and shameful ways the Ninevites dealt with the people of Israel, felt they did not deserve the mercy of God.  His message to them was to be a warning, yet he declared it without any room for the option of repentance.   YET FORTY DAYS AND NINEVEH SHALL BE OVERTHROWN – Jonah 3:4.

Our response to God’s messages and messengers – even prophets and prophecies – will go a long way in determining the outcome.  The Ninevites responded to the message of Jonah in faith believing God, proclaiming a fast, putting on sackcloth as a mark of penitence and repentance from the greatest to the least and the evil intended against them was DIVERTED, AVERTED, SET ASIDE, PUT ON HOLD AND SUSPENDED.

To be overthrown is to be demoted from an exalted position; it had to do with loss of power, position, possession, etc.  Sin is undoubtedly a demoter.  It grieves God.  Sin demoted Adam and Eve and they were banished from the Garden of Eden.  Sin demoted Reuben and his blessing was given to another; from head he became tail.  Sin demoted Samson, turning all his spheres of miracle to ridicule.  Sin demoted King Saul and he became restless and miserable.  He lost relevance and another person was anointed to take his place while he was still alive.

This LENT affords us again, more than ever before, the opportunity of self-examination, learning from the errors of others, desiring greater heights, promotion, latter glories rather than stories of better yesterday in all spheres of our human endeavour.  Let us run away from SIN, LUST OF THE EYE, PRIDE OF LIFE, etc., to avoid demotion.

The devil is out to ensure that our reign with Christ here and in the hereafter is truncated.  We must not allow him by turning to God for MERCY.