Page 21 - Grace150 Devotional

But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes,
I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” And the Lord said, “You pity the plant,
for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a
night and perished in a night.” Jonah 4:9–10
Jonah is angry about a vine that provided him shade and physical comfort
one day and was gone the next. He didn’t plant the vine; he didn’t water or care
for it in any way. It was a gift from God. Instead of recognizing the giver, Jonah
became upset about the loss of the gift.
How often do we find our comfort in the gift rather than the giver? When we are
upset, do we reach for the phone or kneel in prayer? If someone loses a job, do
we brush up on our resume and then ask for God’s provision? There is nothing
wrong with having good friends, a high paying job, a nice home or a car. After all,
these are gifts given to us by God.
However, when we become more dependent on the gift than the One who gave it,
we may need to reevaluate our priorities.
Dear God, please give us grateful hearts and keep our eyes pointed toward
You and not on our blessings, because You are the provider of all things.
– Adara & Becky LeBron

devotions for the journey DAY 14