Day 276b: Jonah 1, 2, 3 and 4

That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, O Lord, take my life (NIV 1984, Jonah 4:2,3).

Jonah is one of my favorites, more a parable than a prophecy. First he is told by God to preach in Nineveh, capital city of Israel’s arch enemy Assyria. Jonah doesn’t want to go so he hops a ship heading in the other direction. When a horrendous storm springs up, his natural response should have been: Okay, I’ll go to Nineveh. But instead? Throw me into the sea (1:12). Jonah hated the Assyrians so much, he would rather drown than take a chance they could be converted. That’s a lot of hate!

You know the story. His shipmates hurled him into the sea, and three days later a great fish hurled him back onto dry land. And he reluctantly set course for Nineveh.

Jonah’s worst fears are realized when the Ninevites respond to his 8-word sermon with repentance. He launches a tantrum: Let me die! God reminds Jonah that he created the people of Nineveh too, and is of course concerned for their welfare.

It’s a message to Israel that God is not just God of the people we like, but the God of everyone. For God so loved the world… (John 3:16).

Don’t those you don’t especially care for deserve to know him too?

TODAY’S MEDITATION

Ask God to soften your heart toward those with whom you have seemingly irreconcilable differences. How will that affect your behaviors?