OUT OF THE BOX

I was on the roof of a very large building and saw an ant walking across the surface. I noticed that this small ant was casting a very large shadow in comparison to the ant's actual size. The shadow was about 20 times larger than the ant. I took a photo and thought about what this ant might have said to his fellow-workers when he returned to the nest. Full of pride, holding his head up high and stretching to stand tall, he might have boasted, "Hey, guys, I saw my shadow today and realized I am about 20 times bigger than I thought I was. As a matter of fact I am about 20 times bigger than all of you." However the little fellow was pretty embarrassed the next day when he looked in the mirror and realized he was just a little guy...like all the others. He misinterpreted the shadow and became arrogant. My guess is that he also misinterpreted the mirror and became depressed because of blemishes revealed there. Self-centeredness can cause swings from one negative extreme ...

Billy Long P.O. Box 147, Longs, SC 29568 843-591-2450 broblong@gmail.com Dear Friends This post is a little long, but well worth reading. It contains some valuable insights learned from Jonah’s disobedience and his attempt to flee from the Lord’s presence. From Jonah’s life we see the consequences of trying to run from God. We also see God’s persistence in reaching out to us and moving us toward the fulfilment of His purpose in our lives. Billy Long LESSONS FROM JONAH GOD’S LOVE FOR THE WORLD The book of Jonah is a missionary book. It shows God’s love for a lost world. Jonah was sent to Ninevah, which was the capital of Assyria, a cruel nation, the nation which was later to carry away captive the northern kingdom of Israel, Ephraim. Ninevah repented at the preaching of Jonah, and God in His mercy spared the city. PRESUMING UPON GOD’S MERCY Jonah knew about God’s mercy…and strained it to the limit. He knew God would forgive (Ninevah 4:2), and he did not wa...