God Appointed A Worm

Resting on a glass shelf in our home is a large pink and white and gold colored conch shell that Jack picked up from the surf in the Bahamas where we had gone for our honeymoon. It is a beautiful shell; and when he found it the conch was inside it. We brought it back to the place where we were staying, and two young women from the kitchen asked if they could have the meat if they removed it from the shell. We were grateful, as we doubted that we would be able to take it home alive. The two women made short work of hanging the conch from a tree limb. After cleaning the shell they returned it to us, and today I tell this story to our grandchildren.

In the book of Jonah, the prophet, after finally obeying his call to Nineveh from the Lord, waited on the beach under a tall leafy plant provided by God for Jonah’s comfort. While Jonah was grateful, he grumbled to God of God’s treatment of him, and God appointed a worm (Jonah 4:7,RSV) to destroy the plant , and return Jonah to his right relationship with God, who had saved Nineveh as He had promised if the people repented. God used His infinite control of His own creation to keep an open communication with Jonah: “You pity the plant. . . and should not I pity Nineveh that great city, in which are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons. . .” ( Jonah 4:10&12)

I believe that God does make use of His creation to enable us to seek Him and even to know Him . When I began to desire to find God in my life, I thought of ways to do that. I once thought, “Every time I open a car door, I’ll think of Jesus.” That did not work, as I seldom remembered my own resolution. Then I tried, “Whenever I see a cardinal bird, I’ll think of Jesus.” I found that I started mentally praying when I saw one. It did deepen my morning prayer time. I believe that starting “small” is better for me in growing toward God. Scripture reading and praying grew, too, and cardinals sometimes showed up In unexpected times or places.

The story of Jonah makes clear the fact that God does pursue us, and even when we think we’ve finished His task for us, He seeks communication and relationship with us. God does it purposely, as He desires open hearts who can receive His son. Just as God “appointed a worm” to eat His plant, I believe He “appointed” a conch to wait in the shallow surf for Jack to find him, and for us to receive a blessing. Often our interactions with nature or other people are by God’s “appointment.”

Love in Him,

Prue