Day 190 – Jonah: forsaken and fulfilled mission
“Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.” Jonah 2:8-9 NLT
Jonah received a message from the Lord, which he was very reluctant to preach. God had not just given him a message, but a purpose: to deliver His message to the great Assyrian city of Nineveh. He responded with anger and indifference because he hated Nineveh. The prophet packed his bag and set off in the opposite direction from his intended destination. He boarded a ship and soon volunteered to be thrown overboard when he realised many would perish because of his disobedience; he sank to the depths of the sea, about to drown, and a great fish swallowed him, where he spent three days, before being spat out on the shore exactly where he needed to be. Talk about a road trip going wrong…
God’s message of love, repentance, and forgiveness was not for the people of Israel alone. He loves all the people of the world whom He created in His image and chose to be here. In his mercy, God did not reject Jonah for aborting his mission, and, though the Assyrians didn’t deserve it, God spared them when they repented.
In the book of Jonah, we see God mercifully dealing with disobedience. He dealt with Jonah’s hate and taught him the meaning of true love. He dealt with Jonah’s emotions and self-centredness. Sometimes we experience the same emotions as Jonah. Rather than running from God, trust Him with your past, present, and future. He is the only one who brings a new understanding of Him and His purposes in the world.
Prayer: Father, there is such a fine line between disobedience and obedience and most of the time our feelings and emotions towards others cause us to walk in the opposite direction of where You want us to go. Teach us Your mercy, O Lord, so we can love our enemies as Jesus commanded, and minister Your message to them with a compassionate heart. Amen.
