25th Nov

1 Chronicles 21     Jonah 4     1 Peter 2     (Click on the Reference to go to the passage)

Some very big numbers…...

Isn’t it amazing, the effect one man or woman’s actions can have on many people? In 1 Chronicles 21, David’s sin, ordering a census, led to 70,000 people dying in a plague. His sin was not to trust in God for military power but instead to order a count of his army. Israel paid a heavy price for David’s sin, but the place of repentance and atonement, the threshing floor became the site for the temple.

In Jonah 4, Jonah’s action in preaching, albeit reluctantly in Nineveh, led to a whole city of 120,000 people repenting and being spared judgment. Jonah lost perspective, far more worried about the loss of one vine than the people of Nineveh facing judgement. The city of Mosul in N Iraq, built next to the site of ancient Nineveh still has a small Christian population today. Pray for Iraqi Christians there now facing persecution.

1 Peter 2:10 reminds us we were once not God’s people but now are; now we have received mercy. The effects of Jesus’ action have consequences across all time and space. Yesterday I heard there are about 80 million Christians in China at present, an even bigger number. Look again at 1 Peter 2:24-25,

²⁴ ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ ²⁵ For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Consider now your actions today and their possible effects on numbers of others. Pray that our actions will be for good not bad. Praise God today for sending Jesus, that by his wounds we have been healed.

(Member of Christ Church knitting group)