In our ‘Little Big Church’ service tonight, Stephen looked at Jonah, the prophet who did not want to listen to God’s command to go to Nineveh and who ran away in the opposite direction. So often, we don’t listen well and fail to respond to instructions, but it’s always important to listen to God and to obey Him. We might find it hard to know how to hear God’s voice, but the more we read God’s word, the more we can understand what God wants from us and how He wants us to live.
The writer of Proverbs has good advice for all of us, especially the young: ‘My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity.’ (Prov 3:1-2) It’s important not to forget what we are taught. The idea of a child learning from a parent’s instruction is continued in Prov 4:1 – ‘Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.‘ We are all prone to forgetfulness, and so Stephen gave out forget-me-not seeds so that when the flowers grow, we are reminded of the need not to forget God or ignore Him as Jonah initially did. If we pay attention first time around, we’re less likely to get into trouble – and hopefully avoid being thrown overboard in a storm at sea!
