They saw it!, you see it? (Luke:11:29-36)

He called us wicked generation! Maybe it was not us but them. They were demanding a sign from Jesus to believe. We wouldn’t do that would we? He said this generation is a wicked generation, it seeks for a sign and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah. Did He mean Jonah the prophet who was swallowed by the big fish? Jesus believed in those stories? That was the old testament!. Our reading is from Luke 11:29-36

Ah, The Old Testament! A wonderful collection of books that tell us God’s story for humanity! It gives us prophecy after prophecy about His plan of redemption! It also show us many wonderful people who chose God and whom God chose to allow us to see a vision!. They made it possible to see how God walks with His people, how He provides for our needs and how things would turn out on our own accord without His intervention if we were only to follow the Law. What sign did Jonah give us that Jesus was referring to? I had to go back and re-read the book of Jonah. It is a short book toward the end of the Old Testament. He is considered one of the minor Prophets.

Jonah was instructed by God to tell a group of people in those times called the Ninevites that they were going to be destroyed due to their wickedness. Jonah refused at first and bought a ticket to board a ship that would take him away from God! I am kind of laughing here. I should say Lol!  because sometimes I think, what can I offer God? I am not smart, I am not this or that. Not the sort of material I see other people being made of.

As I attempt to write, I know I could do better, be more eloquent and express myself with better orthography. Jonah did not seem very smart to me! Running away from God? who thinks that?. God is able to use us all if we let Him no matter how greater or minor we are. To summarize Jonah’s story, there is a big storm and the people in the boat find out that it is because of Jonah and they either would have to get him out of their boat or sink. Jonah ends up in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights and Prays and repents. God rescues him and sends him again with the same message.

The message is brought by this man Jonah who walks across their town telling them that they are going to perish. He does not really care about the people and what he really thinks is that they deserve to be destroyed. After all, they are not Israelites; they are not God’s people. He gets upset when God forgives them because they show repentance and do a 360 degree change.

There is a lot more drama shown by Jonah as he confesses that he would rather die than see God’s forgiveness for these people. God walks him through his temper tantrum by teaching him a lesson about His love for humanity as He has invested in us. He compares us to a plant that provided shade for Jonah which God provided it and also took it away. The story does not tell us if Jonah changed his view or not. It just leaves it at that. For our purposes it probably is not important.

I ask myself which is the sign Jesus is talking about here? is it the fact that Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights as Jesus was in the tomb? or was it the fact that Jonah was warning the people of a certain doom if un repented?. I think this is it! for He said that Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninnevites; likewise, the Son of man will be to this generation.

Whether Jonah wanted it or not, he had become a sign of deliverance to Nineva. They escaped a horrible fate because of the warning he brought to them. Jesus is telling us here He is that!  and He has made Himself so clear that even the  Ninevites will be appalled that with so many signs, we did not believe.

He also makes reference to the Queen of the South. Queen of Sheba who took a great effort to visit Solomon because she had heard about his wisdom and Jesus said: something  greater than that is here! This Queen and the Ninevites will stand up and condemn this generation on judgement day because they have failed to see what was totally disclosed to them; to us.

He follows by saying: By the way, that light, The word of God, Me, which points people to God, is to be kept lit and on view to guide others. Do not cover it and do not hide it! Once I Am in you, you will reflect my light to others and do my work in the world!. Make sure that you keep it radiant so that others will not be mislead. You have to choose carefully what your eye sees to keep shining bright so that no darkness will overtake you.

The picture I chose to reflect this principle reminds me of who Jesus is in the world! He is that light that guide us in a time where darkness lurks around us. We have to remember that we are Him in this world and his light through us is the only hope we can ever find. To that end, we have to remind ourselves to be vigilant and to choose carefully our participation in the things that this world offers. What we watch, what we eat, drink, how we take care of our bodies.

Paul says in 1st Corinthians 6:19 that our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit who is in us and Whom we have received from God. Yes, it is a struggle, and yes, we fall for we are not perfect and will not be until He comes back again, but let that not be an excuse for us to be lax about it. Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and Christ said He would never leave us or forsake us. Let us try every day to do our part and to be that light that helps others! It is what He has done for us!