“Yet the fact remains that we are invited to forget ourselves on purpose, cast our awful solemnity to the winds and join in the general dance.” – Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation

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Listen to my song “Love Will Always Lead You Home” on YouTube by clicking HERE.

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Luke 11:29

While still more people gathered in the crowd, he said to them, “This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.”

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Jesus’ message to the people had to be disconcerting.

It wasn’t very pleasant.

But it’s a necessary message for us all to hear.

Jonah really didn’t want to go to Nineveh and warn the people to repent of their evil ways. So he went in the opposite direction as a traveler aboard a ship.

A violent storm then threatened disaster.

Jonah thought it was his fault for not obeying God, so he ordered the ship’s crew to throw him overboard. They did so, and Jonah ends up in the belly of a whale.

Three days later after Jonah agreed to go to Nineveh, the whale spit him onto the shore.

This is the path we all seem to take in our spiritual journeys.

We would rather cater to our egos’ whims and enjoyments than relinquish those things in order to serve God’s purposes.

But, alas, we can only avoid our true callings for so long – or we live a life of misery.

We end up in the “belly of a whale” where we are transformed by our struggles, where we have to “die to ourselves” and our egos’ ways, so we can be reborn to new life.

Jesus showed us the pattern in his death and resurrection.

Letting go of all our egos’ delusions leads us to being our true selves.

It leads us to an abundant life where we are instruments of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and compassion.

It doesn’t have to be the ordeal we make it.

It begins with a simple yes right now.

May it be so.

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Listen to the song of the day “Love Will Always Lead You Home” on the Mercy Reigns album by clicking HERE.

Stream and/or purchase my songs on Amazon Music by clicking HERE.

Purchase my new book “Listen to Your Heart: A Daily Devotional of Calling, Purpose and New Life” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Purchase my book “Mercy Reigns: A Daily Devotional of Compassion, Comfort and Healing” on Amazon by clicking HERE.

Remember: God loves you!