Forfeiture of Grace

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

I want to look at a verse in Jonah's prayer. I already noted what I thought of the circumstances of that prayer in a previous post called God's Way with Jonah. I think this verse deserves some time on its own, apart from Jonah's prayer.

Jonah is an Old Testament book. It was written long before Jesus ushered in a known state of grace with his death and resurrection. I can't think off hand of a lot of emphasis of grace in the Old Testament. I know it's there. Abraham didn't sacrifice Isaac. Lot wasn't killed during the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Rahab and her family were spared when Jericho was destroyed. There are examples of God's grace but it doesn't seem to be a theme of the Old Testament. The Old Testament is about the Law and preparing us for the coming of Jesus. At least that's my take on it. Don't get me wrong. I love the Old Testament. I just don't see God's grace as abundantly as is evident in the New Testament.

This verse tells us that grace is available, always, abundantly, with no restrictions. It also tells us that we can forfeit grace if we so choose. We choose to forfeit grace when we put anything between us and God, when we "worship worthless idols" like our jobs, possessions, power, position, prestige, pride. As we store up treasures in heaven, we are doing those things that worship God. While doing those things, we aren't worshiping worthless idols. The more we do that is worshipful toward God, the less time we have for worship of worthless things.

However, we must make sure that the things we do that are worshipful toward God are for the worship of God and not for some self-serving reason. Do we sing in choir to worship God? Or do we sing in choir because people tell us we are good and our egos need stroked? Do we serve at a homeless shelter or soup kitchen because it makes us look good? Motivations are sometimes hard to discern. We need to examine that carefully and get people to help us, honest, brutally honest people, who will ask the hard questions to make us think. Yes, people are being serviced when we do these things. That is good. But we could be forfeiting grace when the motives are the "worship of worthless idols", even if those idols are our own egos.

Dear God, Help me know when/if I forfeit Your grace which is so freely and abundantly given. I want to graciously accept Your gifts, all of them. Amen.

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