The Shade Tree

Jonah 4 7-8But then God sent a worm. By dawn of the next day, the worm had bored into the shade tree and it withered away. The sun came up and God sent a hot, blistering wind from the east. The sun beat down on Jonah's head and he started to faint. He prayed to die: "I'm better off dead!"

9Then God said to Jonah, "What right do you have to get angry about this shade tree?"

Sometimes we all need rest, sometimes we all gather in the same place to rest, and sometimes we just sit and cry about our lives. Don't you think God knows your heart? Do you really think Jonah had to say anything? I know if you have done any growing at all this hits home. Verse nine is the what I am talking about "What right do you have to get angry about this shade tree?"
Think with me for just a moment. What right do we have? When God gives us peace and rest from what ever mess we get ourselves into, what right do we have to be angry when that rest is gone. Is God telling us "lets go now, you are ready" or sometimes as in Jonah’s case "quit wining and do what I ask you to do to start with.

What shade tree has God given you lately? Did you ask God anything while you were there? Or did you indulge yourself in the world thinking "life is great?

This morning I was riding back from my coffee run , I had the Hillsong pumping out "Jesus Is". I was in my prayer time and God said "you know George all I want is to talk to you. I said well "lets talk" and God said " I just want to ride right now, lets just sit here together. So I looked up at the moon and said "that is so cool" and thought about just how close God is to me right now.

These verses are about that. God not only wants to talk with us but wants us to reserve space for him in our lives. He wants to be close, where ever we are that’s where God is. We could have more shade tree days if we would just do what God ask us to do in the first place.

George Beasley