SHUT My Mouth

Here goes! This I think will be posted in a few sections-so please come back for more after this is posted. And as usual----Comments Welcome! Come let us reason together.
Today through one of the studies I am doing I was led to the book of Jonah. Not a book I spend a lot of time in- but one that I am acquainted with. Anyway, I was amazed once again by the deep love that God has for us. He tries over and over again to get it through my thick skull but it is a lesson that is hard learned for me.
The verse was this---

Those who cling to worthless idols
forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
Jonah 2:8

Forfeit -----Giving up something: the act or an instance of giving up or being deprived of something as a punishment.

Grace-----God's riches at Christ expense.

How I love Him. How much more blunt can He be. If just once He removed the blinder that keeps us from seeing Him and let us see what we are missing and what is waiting for us-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But He looks into our lives and our hearts and he gently shakes His head and says,"You want that instead of Me!"

Dear God, open our eyes to the things that draw us away from you. Let us smell the stink before we touch. Let us see that what seems good for the taking will truly just take our hearts from you.

Next---But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry.
........I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live. 4:1-3

Pity party time!