Elvis? Elvis who?

It was an instance of God finding a way to get me off the couch and into the car and to a place I had wanted to go but just sat on the couch in busy day collapse… My friend neighbor lost her keys, I jumped in the car to help and she found them as I drove. Well, now on the road, I instead got to the historical mansion tour that I wanted to view, for which I am a member and help on occasion…  This occasion the place was beautifully decorated for Christmas with demonstrations – and I had the most interesting conversations about sewing machines with one presenter and chocolate with another. So interesting about sewing machines and the people who invented them and also got them into common people’s houses – millions in the 1800’s – livelihood and necessity for sure – and they sold them by subscription, paying just a little at a time. Interesting how they caught on in America and Europe. The woman brought 10 with her – stated that she had 100 total mostly tredle machines – that actually they are not expensive nowadays as collectables because there are really lots of them – fewer people keep them. I liked how she was VERY knowledgeable about facts that are obscure and we both agreed that they were less collectible now because people really collect things that they themselves are nostalgic about – that Star Wars toys from the 70’s and LEGO sets that collect high prices for used items – whereas old toys fading from memories of people also fading are not as valuable.  That’s a truth of fads, they fade. She then made the interesting comment that the next generation is starting to no longer knows who Elvis is – nor Betty Boop – and people’s memories, like those collectibles’ values, will depreciate … “Nostalgia – people pay for NOSTALGIA” – that’s what she said.. I am not sure that forgetting Elvis is close to happening yet  – but I understand the concept of fading nostalgia- and surely last century’s “must haves” are turning to dust like us. So, yeah, if you never heard of someone like Elvis then you won’t know the craze that accompanied the paraphernalia etc… Like I like the old pushpin ornaments, reminding me of my grandma and of making them, but that won’t be a memory of my kids…

How wonderful is our God, Who keeps His stories alive and relevant. Yes. someone who has not faded away in memory is Jonah – and it is not just the whale of a tale that people know him for – it is both wonderful and spiritually not surprising that the bible story is captivating. For Jonah, our curiosity is cultivated and the text is preserved. AND we also learn and know a BIG Someone – Who is ALSO known – GOD HIMSELF!  We learn about God in how He deals with Jonah and the people of the day. Jonah, in the travels to Ninevah where the whale spit him out, was directed to tell Ninevah what God wanted them to hear – TO REPENT – to put on sackcloth and fast. And guess what? Ninevah’s people had HEARD of God – and then THEY LISTENED! They also knew of HOPE – that God might relent and forgive – this also apparently was God’s reputation. Nineveh repented as demonstrated and ordered by the King. God saw this and He DID forgive. 

GRACE – that never goes out of style – is forgiveness and fostering faith following.

This story of Jonah is related to Jesus and God’s Plan by Jesus Himself, recorded in the gospel of Matthew. Jesus said the people who yearned for forgiveness will rise up and condemn the generation that both did not realize Jesus was God, and especially did not repent. God’s grace can be given but it must be recognized. Jesus was and is to be known by His Grace and Love. 

Who knew that both Elvis and God were invested in a place called GRACEland!!!

Amen 

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Jonah 3 NIV

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

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Matthew 12:38-42 NIV 

The Sign of Jonah

Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”

He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Jonah is here.”