Jesus is the Shelter
We live in a divided nation, with a divided government. Even our churches, and some of our individual homes are divided.
When division occurs, people build shelters. Shelters are meant to protect from the elements, to keep undesirables and predators out, and to secure belongings.
The Bible says,
Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it. Ecclesiastes 7:12 NIV
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Cherish her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor you. Proverbs 4:6-8 NIV
What we learn from Jonah after he reluctantly obeyed and preached repentance to the Ninevah, was that he went and built for himself a shelter.
So Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city, and he made a Booth/ shelter there for himself. He sat there under it in the shade till he might see what would become of the city. Jonah 4:5
God saw Jonah’s shelter that he built for himself. He knew that any shelter we build for ourselves is going to be insufficient and flawed. He knew that while it may bring momentary relief the self-made shelter was to Jonah sin and ultimately would not protect Jonah but lead to death. So,out of God’s goodness, He prepared a vine to shelter Jonah.
And the Lord God prepared a gourd and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to deliver him from his Evil situation. So, Jonah was exceedingly glad [to have the protection] of the gourd. Jonah 4:5-6 AMPC
I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. John 15:1
God could have continued to shelter Jonah in his sinful condition, but God is committed to delivering us from our evil state. So, God, the vinedresser, provided a worm to wither the vine, removing Jonah’s shelter.
Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit. John 15:2 AMPC
Only then could Jonah recognize his sinful condition, his true Shelter and throw himself at God’s mercy, never again to forsake His true shelter.
Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. John 15:4-5 AMPC
Once you Know God’s love you operate in God’s love. Jonah could no longer look for judgement on his enemies but instead seek that they too might know God’s love.
And God said to Jonah, Do you do well to be angry for the loss of the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die! Then said the Lord, You have had pity on the gourd, for which you have not labored nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons not [yet old enough to] know their right hand from their left, and also many cattle [not accountable for sin]? Jonah 4:9-11 AMPC
I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me]. If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love. This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you. No one has greater love [no one has shown stronger affection] than to lay down (give up) his own life for his friends. John 15:9-10, 12-13 AMPC