BY Raechel Myers
Text: Jonah 4:1-11
We like to laugh at Jonah – he’s such a child.
Even if we don’t have children, we can see our own 5-year-old-selves in his angry outbursts.
God, I told you this would happen!!!
He stomps off, angrily assembles a feeble pout palace, and when his unconditionally loving Father gathers a shade plant around him to help him cool off, Jonah can’t help but crack a smile of thanks.
This passage – these final verses of the book and story of Jonah – has such a classic parent/child dynamic.
Maybe you can think back to when you were five or fifteen and your world was very you-centric. (Heh. Because that’s super behind us now, right?)
Over and over, the Lord grants mercy and provisions to His undeserving child – and Jonah is exceedingly glad! Yay for Jonah!
Over and over, the Lord grants the same mercy to His other (also undeserving) children. And Jonah is so ragey, he could die. He literally asks the Lord to take his life.
Jonah is furious that God let the plant wither, and the irony that God just saved a great city of PEOPLE from destruction is completely lost on him.
Friends, I think this is where we leave the narrative to begin reflecting on the message. We’ve read – really examined – Jonah’s story, and we’ve seen how sovereign and powerfully merciful our God is.
Let’s now ask the Lord to examine our hearts, to show us where we are prideful, where we are angry, where we are running away…
Lord, where have we been children, pouting when things don’t turn out the way we think they should? When have we not trusted you in your sovereignty thinking our ways are much better? And where have you been our steady, unconditionally loving Father?
54 thoughts on "Father and child"
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.. Oh phones :) I need to be slow to anger and abounding in love, and thankful for His blessing.
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i guess we all have a "jonah" moment maybe once or twice (several times) in our lives, I did! while reading the book of Jonah i had the same question – why? why did God save these people? they've been making those mistakes for a long period of time (maybe) and just needed to do one thing to change how God feels for them…
truly God's love is unfathomable….Jonah said " I know that you are a gracious and merciful God…slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness…One who relents from doing harm…."
i honestly think they don't deserve forgiveness…but I know I'm not supposed to judge them in that manner…
God was able to forgive them, he did so they can be saved.
We can all do that…be humble enough to admit our sins, repent, ask for forgiveness…we all have an assurance, God will not let us down…God will be there and with his arms wide open for us.i love the book of Jonah :D
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I’m not one to comment, but tonight, oh how convicting the Holy Spirit is!! I was just so incredibly frustrated and angry with my husband. We’ve out grown our 2 br home, with our two little ones. And in our small country town there is nothing on the market, unlike last year. He works so hard at home, with the kids and being a church elder. And after reading this, I was so convicted about my anger. I need to be sl
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Tonight I was talking to a friend and explaining to her the story of how I lost my job and talking about it made me angry all over again. And she asked how I felt and I said "I'm so angry. All the time. At everyone." And I heard God whisper "Lindsay, do you do well to be angry?" And the answer was a RESOUNDING NO! (Thank you CamillaBering!!)
And I said a prayer for God to take this anger away and in place put happiness, love, and thankfulness for my many other blessings. And before I knew it, I was laughing out loud at something. (Those of you who have ever been angry like Jonah, know that laughing out loud is something to celebrate!)
Father, tonight remove my anger. Put happiness, love, thankfulness, and contentment in it's place. Help me to see that you have put me on this path for a reason, even though it isn't the path I chose or the path I envisioned. Your ways are not my ways, mercifully and thankfully. Thank you Father for my many blessings!!
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I have been here, as recently as this morning. I have been trying to get out of debt and the best way for that is to work 2 jobs. I was being pouty this morning wondering why I had to work 2 jobs, rather than being grateful that God has graciously given me both of these jobs. Epic fail on my part as I had just prayed earlier this week about getting debt free, wow. Short sightedness on my part that's for sure. :) Thanks for the reminder that we all are like Jonah in some way. Needed this today.
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