PLEASE READ THIS FIRST: Jonah 3-4
What do you sense the Lord saying to you in this passage?
“I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and
abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” (Jonah 4:2)
Nineveh is the capitol of Assyria, a occupying nation over Israel.
Jonah hates Assyria (like a Ukrainian might hate Russia today).
But God uses fishy means to get him to go to ‘sin city’ with his message.
‘Repent or perish’: when we hear this message, we hear anger and judgment.
But Jonah knows about God’s compassion; he fears God WILL forgive them.
God’s heart is open to all people, no matter how wicked they may be.
God’s concern is not just for people, but even for the animals! (Jonah 4:11)
If we knew God like Jonah, would we treat people and creation differently?
All people – us included – are sinners who need God’s mercy and compassion.
God steps into ‘sin city’ himself as Jesus, not to condemn us but to save us.
He sends us to go to others for him, calling his children home.
We need God to replace our Jonah eyes, and give us Jesus eyes and tears.
“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them…” (Matthew 9:36)
PRAYER
Lord, help me to look at the people I meet today – wherever I am – with your eyes, with your compassion and mercy, and with your desire to somehow help them.
Disaster awaits and we don’t know what to do – then someone says, well we can at least pray! It seems to me that Jonah’s prophesy against Nineveh was received and that the people responded. The king saying: “Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.” And God saw it and “He relented” – much to the anger of Jonah who wanted to see the Ninevites get what he felt they deserved! And now God’s compassion is an embarrassment to Jonah to the point that he was ready to die again (1st time: when they threw him into the sea). Jesus taught that we ought not to wish ill for our neighbour – that we should respect and love even our enemy – and Jonah had to learn that – that God is forgiving – to the point of sending Jesus to pay the price for my sin!
Have Thine own way Lord. He is in charge and not I. Jesus Saviour pilot me.
At times we see others through our own eyes and we become self righteous, judging others. But as a Christian I need to see all things through the eyes of Jesus, who created all things and redeemed all things. He is in charge and not I. I need to be an instrument of His peace. I need to live for Him and not myself. All for Jesus.
Make me a servant
Humble and meek
Lord let me lift up those who are weak
And may the prayers of my heart always be
Make me a servant
Make me a servant
Make me a servant today