Once in motion, always in motion… The science museum’s cool display of experiments included this one side panel showing a bowling ball and bowling pins FLYING EVERYWHERE by energy transfers… MOMENTUM written in visual cool panel segments that appeared when we moved. 

Ah, yes!!! I know the NOT SO HIDDEN message here. The bowling pins shown flying from a STRIKE, are personally reminding me of the Lord knocking down my disbelief system, 10 years ago. “Strike” is a favorite writing. And for all of us, I see the momentum of God’s grace transforming us to be able to live more like Jesus. 

And the science museum’s staircase Pendulum also reminded that with momentum, the knock down of little pins time to time is like the faith momentum in us… Objects in motion can be slowed down by friction, but FAITH in motion will continue to move (and be pushed) by the Holy Spirit.

Faith moments from the Lord’s momentum. That’s what happened in Ninevah after Jonah warned them, see chapter 3. Faith was taking on its own momentum and they repented. 

Faith opens insight. Sometimes we are rusty and friction laden to get moving. That’s Jonah as a great example. Jonah hesitant to listen to the Lord, was transported by a whale over to Ninevah after he sat in the belly to sulk then sing praise. The warning he DID then deliver to Ninevah became Holy Spirit momentum in saving the people. God relented and forgave. Well, Jonah was used for a big push of moments in their lives, momentum to save could not be stopped. The Lord’s ways are above ours, yes. 

Then the pendulum swung back to knock out some pins of Jonah’s self-righteousness and false priorities and anger (see chapter 4). Jonah had anger thinking the Lord really would destroy Ninevah, anger when he saw they were saved. And Jonah had anger when his little piece of sun relief (a shade leaf of a plant) was taken away – that’s us too when we seem to get angry when things don’t go our way… God used the plant as an example (read the cool story below about the worm used to wither it too) to show Jonah that if Jonah could be upset about his little situation, God could too, a bigger situation that God WANTED saved, His people and creations. God DOES long for His people to be saved, to turn their attention to Him, and to put down their worldliness in exchange for God’s forever. So when God saw Ninevah repent, God shared compassion, grace, mercy. 

God relented from the disaster. God sent KINDNESS, which Jonah wanted previously himself, wanting God’s forgiveness for running away. So was it right for Jonah to be angry? Jonah was angry that God forgave the people of Nineveh. That’s us too, we become sticks in the mud, however our Living Water Jesus says we are supposed to forgive 70 time 7, to anyone who sins against us. We need to make clear boundaries, yes, but we should take the high road when we walk away from a scene. Can we do it? 

Can we take some of God’s momentum energy transfer to also make our moments to forgive? We need to. I bet the angels in heaven are like sitting in the big bowling alley and listening to the sound of pins smashing and flying, coming with each forgiveness transformatin moment on earth. Our moments from God’s Momentum. 

Lord, thank you for the reminder on Jonah and in us. 

Amen 

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Jonah 4 NKJV 

But it [God giving Ninevah forgiveness, sparing destruction] displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he became angry. So he prayed to the Lord, and said, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was still in my country? Therefore I fled previously to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”

Then the Lord said, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

So Jonah went out of the city and sat on the east side of the city. There he made himself a shelter and sat under it in the shade, till he might see what would become of the city. And the Lord God prepared a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be shade for his head to deliver him from his misery. So Jonah was very grateful for the plant. But as morning dawned the next day God prepared a worm, and it so damaged the plant that it withered. And it happened, when the sun arose, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat on Jonah’s head, so that he grew faint. Then he wished death for himself, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”

Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”

And he said, “It is right for me to be angry, even to death!”

But the Lord said, “You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?”