SCRIPTURE: Jonah 4:1-11
OBSERVATION:
This passage shows the real reason for Jonah running away – he didn’t want his enemies forgiven.
We see the shocking extent of mercy – goes farther than even we want it to go. God would forgive Hitler, if he genuinely repented.
Reveals how people still measure themselves and others as more or less worthy, still don’t realize how much we depend on mercy.
God is very active – causes the vine to grow, to wither, then scorching wind to blow – all to teach Jonah a lesson.
God’s concern extends to all people, even to the animals.
APPLICATION:
God is challenging my heart about whether there are people I am not open to reaching?
Where is God working in the circumstances of my life – in the little details of my life – to teach me a lesson?
Where is my bitterness or selfishness getting in the way of my sharing Your message?
PRAYER:
Lord, forgive me for judging some people as unworthy of You, too far gone for Your love. Help me to see that they depend on Your mercy just as much as I do, and that if You couldn’t forgive them, then You couldn’t forgive me. Thank You for Your mercy. Amen.
I like the picture I get as soon as I read the first paragraph of this story. Jonah, not liking how the story unfolds and how compassionate God is on Nineveh throws a childish temper tantrum. How true for our lives? How often do we not see things God’s way but look for the story to unfold our way, and when it doesn’t, throw a temper tantrum?
I think anytime that we go out to do God’s will we should keep this story in mind. Maybe we see people that “don’t deserve God’s compassion and His forgiveness”, but before we found God ourselves, how many people thought that about us?
I can personally say that you can go a looooooong way, run as far as you want, hide for as long as you want, but it’s never to late to come back. We’re all family. There’s very few things in this world we can continually rely on… family is definitely something we should be able to rely on, unconditionally.