Text: Luke 15:11-32, Romans 5:6-9
This is part of a 7-day series on Jonah in the Lent 2016 reading plan.
The smiling felt-figure man next to the big, blue whale on the storyboards of our childhood: this is how many of us know the prophet Jonah. His story is memorable and fun to tell, a classic case of what not to do when God calls. But like all redemption stories, there is more to the book of Jonah than meets the eye. There is more to see than the irresistible spectacle of a man being swallowed whole by a fish.
Matthew Henry says the book of Jonah is “best understood by those who are most acquainted with their own hearts.” Because at its heart, Jonah is a story of salvation. It’s not about the fish. It’s not about the Ninevites. It’s not even about Jonah.
The book of Jonah is about the saving work of Christ and the boundless mercy of our sovereign God.
Jonah’s story foreshadows Christ’s sacrifice (we’ll see Jesus Himself draw this parallel in next week’s reading), but it also goes a step further: it illustrates the unreasonable forgiveness available to us because of Christ’s sacrifice.
A rebellious Jonah runs from God, repents when he sees of the vastness of his sin, and is pulled from the depths of his self-made pit by a merciful God.
A wicked Nineveh, undeserving of God’s compassion, repents and receives the same mercy.
Like the older brother in Jesus’ parable of the lost son in Luke 15, Jonah is angry at the Father’s unabashed display of mercy. He is ironically offended by God’s truly free grace—balking at the Lord’s mercy toward Nineveh while sighing with relief as he receives it for himself.
But grace is, by definition, undeserved. The distance between a sinful humanity and a Holy God can only be spanned by His saving mercy.
Like Jonah, the lost son, and the Ninevites, we too are invited to come clean. We are invited to repent and return to the arms of a God who pursues us at our worst, rescues us from our darkness, and rejoices over us as His beloved child.
May we hear the Father’s call as we read Jonah’s story. And may we be drawn to repentance, running toward the only One who knows and restores our wayward hearts.
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70 thoughts on "Jonah"
Here, catching up as well. This devotional was well written and encouraging. I loved the last sentence and this one: “He is ironically offended by God’s truly free grace—balking at the Lord’s mercy toward Nineveh while sighing with relief as he receives it for himself.” Thanks, Amanda!
I missed a couple days of reading the study, but I’m sitting here catching up. Last week I had a very old memory/experience come up simply by looking at someone’s face at the gym….It was so very awkward. It is something that I have asked God to forgive me for and I know I have been redeemed and saved from, but that moment when that wound got touched again was so painful I just wanted to cry I held back…. Today I sit here in awe of our loving God who is so graceful, merciful, and forever faithful.
I ask for forgiveness again today.
This… I am reading through this plan much later than originally posted. Your comment resonated with me, because I too have old wounds that I can’t seem to let heal. During our Easter sermon yesterday I kept trying to grasp the concept of how freeing the resurrection made us. No longer do we have to live with our own guilt and shame!
Good grief!!!
I’m so glad I decided to join in for this study. I had been feeling down, and originally wasn’t going to, but it is what I’ve been needing. Thankful for God’s Word & also for SRT!
So glad you are with us, Courtney! Praying for you today!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Me too , Courtney
Beautiful! Just perfect. I never noticed the similarity between The older brother in the parable and Jonah. Wow. Thank you for writing this. Amazing grace is so truly amazing.
Loooove Jonah! So relatable!
“He is ironically offended by God’s truly free grace—balking at the Lord’s mercy toward Nineveh while sighing with relief as he receives it for himself.” How often do we respond like Jonah, or the prodigal son’s brother, and never even recognize it in ourselves?
I have honestly never understood the Parable of the Prodigal Son. After who knows how many sermons and bible studies it took this to make it click. “We are invited to repent and return to the arms of a God who pursues us at our worst, rescues us from our darkness, and rejoices over us as His beloved child.” The beauty of the story seems so obvious now!
This is exactly what I needed today. After a season of running, I’m finally coming back. It’s been an incredibly tough journey – I’ve been feeling this ache in my core, questioning whether God can forgive me for running so far for so long. Why would He still want me?
“We are invited to repent and return to the arms of a God who pursues us at our worst, rescues us from our darkness, and rejoices over us as His beloved child.”
But this… this tells a different story. To quote the timeless Chris Tomlin, “You’ve seen the depths of my heart, but you love me the same.” He won’t ever stop chasing or pursuing – and for THIS, I am thankful.
Alyssa, love your honest words here and I can appreciate your questions about how or why God would still want you. I, too, ran very far away from God for a long time and asked those questions. It seemed unfathomable that God, as holy and pure as He is, would welcome me back, when He knows everything about me. That’s what grace is, though, right? His love is beyond our wildest imagination and better than we could’ve ever hoped! When I feel the enemy bringing doubts to my mind, I remind myself of the words in the old hymn, ” Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart – Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above.” He’s a good Father. Blessings to you!
<3
Glad to see you made your way back today. Prayed a lot for you yesterday. Trust in the Lord for this new change…he will bring you to do great things for Him. Change is never easy, but the Lord moves us out of our comfort zone when we are too comfortable. Trust Him. Embrace the move. You can do this!
Powerful – I needed this today. I’ve had a stomach ache all day thinking about this change.
I’ve been stuck in my comfort zone and I keep telling myself you better get comfortable being uncomfortable. I keep trying to do it all myself but I have to trust in him that he’ll give me the strength.
Mercy is not receiving what I deserve. Grace is receiving what I don’t deserve.
God lavishly gives them both.
Thank you, my good good Father.
Amen! Perfectly said. So thankful for God’s grace and mercy!!!
What I draw on most here is that no one deserves God’s compassion more or less than any other… that we are equal in distance to Him and all capable of receiving His mercy – what a powerful reminder. – “The distance between a sinful humanity and a Holy God can only be spanned by His saving mercy.”
I have to agree, Amy. Amen!!
I used to think of Jonah as a story about disobedience and punishment. As I have grown in my walk with Christ and my recognition of my great need for His mighty grace I see Jonah now as the story of a great rescue- Jonah’s rescue, Nineveh’s rescue , and ultimately my rescue. May my mind and spirit be bent more towards rescue and grace rather than punishment. I would love for you to visit me at:
https://awordthatmatters.wordpress.com/
Blessings, SRT Sisters
Amen!! That’s so true!! Thank you, Father for your mercy and grace!
Thank you for pointing out the connection between Jonah and the older brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son. I had never made that connection before, and it it so fun learning new things and seeing how well the Old and New Testament work together teaching us the same lessons.
Amen!
But grace is, by definition, undeserved. The distance between a sinful humanity and a Holy God can only be spanned by His saving mercy.
Amen, Amanda! I am so grateful for God’s unending grace and mercy!
When we studied Jonah a few years ago, I just couldn’t get out of my mind this connection between Jonah and the Prodigal Son’s brother – and myself. We want the love, the forgiveness, the grace, and the mercy for ourselves, but want justice for others… I wrote more about my thoughts here. http://toactloveandwalk.blogspot.com/2014/03/jonah-prodigals-brother.html
So thankful that we are never too lost to be found or too broken to be healed!
Grateful for this truth today too, K! Thanks for joining us today!
xoxo-Kaitlin
Not about Jonah or the whale or the Ninevites ……but Gods mercy and redemption….how quickly I lose sight of the big picture. Our small group just concluded “open your bible” last night. Boo hoo! We want another study but not before we close our Bibles and put our faith in action. Love you guys!!!!
“Unreasonable forgiveness”, what a beautiful phrase. That really puts it into perspective!
Like Jonah, the lost son, and the Ninevites, we too are invited to come clean. We are invited to repent and return to the arms of a God who pursues us at our worst, rescues us from our darkness, and rejoices over us as His beloved child…. Love this <3
I’ve always loved the story of the prodigal son and it’s funny to think back on how many times I’ve fluctuated between identifying with the lost son and the son that has been there all along. But what is always consistent is the Father- his overwhelming, unending love for both of his sons- his unreasonable forgiveness, his boundless mercy. Thanking God today that whatever season I’m in, he’s ready to speak life over me and bring me closer to his heart.
Thank you Jesus for opening up your arms wide open to us. Thank you for forgiving us of our sins and making us clean.. time after time.
http://www.in-due-time.com
We haven’t even officially started the book of Jonah and already so many gems and challenges to my heart from today’s devotional. Thank you for such a great introduction to the book.
Thinking about that unreasonable forgiveness I’ve received and the irony of being offended by God’s truly free grace when shown towards others.
Thanks for a reminder of His forgiveness, friend! Grateful for your place in our community!
xoxo-Kaitlin
I loved this! Reminding me His mercy ,is just that, His. My job is to follow in his footsteps with obedience and d give it just as freely as He does. After all, that’s how I would want others to treat me.he
thought about getting that in a tattoo
Love it!
same here!!
“Unreasonable forgiveness”….that phrase will stay with me for awhile
I was thinking this as well.
Yes! I reread those two words more times than I can count.
I had the same reaction! I underlined it and came back to it. What a stunning, counter-cultural idea. Thank you Jesus!
I used to identify so closely with the “other” son and I still do on occasion. I thought it was terrible what his father didn’t do for him. Probably because I’ve been on his end of the deal so often even before my salvation. Yet his jealousy and anger overshadowed anything good; things he should be truly grateful for, like his brother’s salvation and return. Same with Jonah. I can identify! Why will God pardon and forgive those awful, terrible, hateful people? Then it was brought to my attention that I was once one of them. Gulp! We don’t like to think of ourselves in a bad light. You know, our sins are never as bad as someone else’s. But in reality they are. If God can forgive me why shouldn’t He forgive anyone else? Isn’t that why he tarry’s? So that as many as possible will come to Him?
So the scariest part for me is that I don´t feel this need. I wake up blind to it and feel like I deserve a medal for my efforts instead of eternal hell for my heart´s state.
I don´t go to a liturgical church, but I find so much value in being guided through a process of being reminded of my sin, confession, and unmerited forgiveness bestowed upon me by God. My favorite passage of “everyday liturgy” comes from Valley of Vision´s Morning Needs: “Teach me how to use the world, and not abuse it, to improve my talents, to redeem my time, to walk in wisdom toward those without, and in kindness to those within, to do good to all men, and especially to my fellow Christians. And to thee be the glory.”
In the early nineties I was half way around the world from anything home, in a country without my two girls, riding on a spiritual awakening, and a friend of mine shared with me this song written by Benny Hester who I’d never heard of called, When God Ran. That first time I heard that song I was overcome, shaking with tears running down. I was saved, yes, but hearing the song, singing the song, made the parable of the Prodigal Son (that’s me!), real. I could actually see God running to me even through my shame and guilt, wrapping me up in His arms and kissing me…my daughter’s come home! Even now when I find the courage to plow through my sin and return to the Father, who’s waiting on the front porch with the light on because he loves his daughter (that’s me!) and misses her, then He’s running to me as I come up the road away from my sin toward my Father who always wraps me in his arms and kisses away my sin and shame.
Benny Hester, When God Ran
Almighty God
The Great I Am
Immovable Rock,
Omnipotent powerful
Awesome Lord
Victorious Warrior
Commanding King of Kings
Mighty Conquerer
And the only time
The only time I ever saw Him run
Was when He ran to me
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
Said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
He said “Son, do you know I still love you?”
It caught me by surprise when God ran
The day I left home
I knew I’d broken His heart
I wondered then
If things could ever be the same
Then one night
I remembered His love for me
And down that dusty road
Ahead I could see
It’s the only time
The only time I ever saw Him run
When He ran to me
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
Said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
He said “Son, do you know I still love you?”
It caught me by surprise
It brought me to my knees
When God ran
I saw Him run to me
And then I ran to Him
Holy One, Righteous Judge
He turned my way
Now I know He’s been waiting
For this day
And then He ran to me
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
Said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
I felt His love for me and then He
Ran to me
Took me in His arms, held my head to His chest
Said “My son’s come home again”
Lifted my face, wiped the tears from my eyes
With forgiveness in His voice
He said Son, He said Son, My Son
Do you know I still love you
Oh He ran to me
When God ran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPen1jQrlhU
I remember this song! And yes it’s so so moving! Thank you for reminding me
Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to listening to it.
Awesome song! I just listened to the Phillips, Craig and Dean version
Yes! Thank you so much for this reminder and for the song too! I thought about it as I read the devotional as well
I love Jonah.
I am undone at the kindness of God. He sees me…and yet He loves me. He hears what comes out of my mouth…and He offers forgiveness. He witnesses my treatment of others …and still offers me reconciliation. And all the while I dress up my behavior in some rag that I call righteousness and He says, “let me have that rag and give you a robe of my righteousness.” Daily, I need to get back to my deepest needs in Christ…His forgiveness, His redemption, His eyes to see others around me, His ears to hear the cries of help I’m to stubborn to listen for. He is patient and kind, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. I am grateful He is patient when I don’t get it. I would have been done for a long time ago. What I want to remember and take with me today is that He offers that to everyone; I have no claim on that. I can be an instrument of it though.
Yes. Amen.
Love this “I have no claim on that. I can be an instrument of it though” . Going to try to keep this in my mind and heart today.
“The unreasonable forgiveness available to us because of Christ’s sacrifice…” Last night was a frustrating night in our home. Minor things really, but those persistent things that as a parent chase us and our little folk. The ones that have our heads spinning because “how many times can we say it” or “why must we always repeat ourselves” … those exhausting realizations that perhaps your kiddos don’t seem to like each other let alone love one another because of their incessant prodding and poking of each other. And all of the words and feelings right before bed, well it is enough to wear you plain out and them too. I was frustrated, mad at myself because I seem to be missing the mark on helping them connect their behaviors, I just seem to lack the right words and I was disheartened with them because well, it is hard to hear and “when will they just get it”. Then, in walks the wayward son, who goes against his upbringing and squanders his inheritance only to receive the loving arms of a desperate father. Yep, humbled. This story, no matter my season, always brings my heart around to leave me standing on that dirt road back, hesitant to see my Father for fear of His lashing only to be received openly with an “unreasonable forgiveness” … THIS! This is all we really want, all we really need because, in truth, I am no different than my sweet people on this walk. Their bickering amidst and between is not so different than those of us who walk with Christ yet have discord between one another; between the adult son or daughter, the brother or sister in Christ, an angry stranger or the errant spouse. Our Father isn’t standing arms crossed, foot tapping shouting, “When will you get this?” … no, instead, in all the disobedience, the muck, the destruction, He runs, receiving us before we’ve even reconciled to ourselves the fullness of our wretchedness. God is in all ways the perfect parent and we, everyone, His incorrigible children and still this, “We are invited to repent and return to the arms of a God who pursues us at our worst, rescues us from our darkness, and rejoices over us as His beloved child” Prayerful that as the days of parenting wane from great to good to “I have no clue what I am doing” that I remember my Father and that I can rest in Him, I can find peace in His instruction and that just as I love my children, He loves them more and if I continually redirect to Him, He will continually pursue me, and pursue my kiddos. God is unabashedly good.
Amen!
I can relate to your evening even though mine is more on the geriatric spectrum than the pediatric! :) Love how you said that our God isn’t shouting, “When will you get this?” but instead stands with open arms. That has always been a struggle for me to accept but when I do GET IT, and let Him take over, just as you said, that rest comes. Not necessarily the answer to every problem, but the peace and rest knowing He is in control. ♥
Thank you! I think we had the same evening, and I too am humbled.
oh man! What a powerful (and much needed!) reminder! AMEN!
Your words are such a soul filler today! I, too, am in the trenches of “when will they get it” and over-emotional, frustrated evenings. I want SO badly to be a godly parent in the thick of it, but my humanness leaves me deflated and ashamed most nights. It’s really easy to forget what God is really like as a parent and instead rely on my own knowledge of who my kids are, what discipline works best for them, yada yada. But God knows all of that. He knows it about me, He knows it about them, and still He is not shouting at us all. He’s just waiting in undeserved grace. That something to live up to today.
Amen!
Well said Amanda. This part reconcile with me the most: “We are invited to repent and return to the arms of a God who pursues us at our worst, rescues us from our darkness and rejoice over us and His beloved child.”
As children, no matter what we did we always knew that our parents will never stop loving us. Yes we could get punished, or spanked, but at the end of it all, we will still receive that piece chocolate after lunch, no matter what. Just remember how important that was to you as a kid. For me it was the best part of the day! :)
Today we have much higher expectations. We want to be happy, to have those social skills so we feel wanted in a group. We want to be surrounded with kind people that care about us, we want to be smart in business situations, we want to be loved, etc.
And we will receive all of it if we come clean to God. If we share with him our biggest fears and all of our judgments. It is ok to be scared in life, but we must share what we know that it’s wrong and if we must try to make it right. It’s is not an easy journey of repentance, but it’s one that is necessary to get us closer to God.
As said in Luke, we all get lost at some point in our walk with God, but once we are found, we must celebrate together and keep each other accountable. Together we can uplift other and his glorious word. Together we can be saved by grace!
‘And we will receive all of it if we come clean to God. ‘
Really? that sounds like works to me, not grace. Grace means getting what we don’t deserve, not God giving us things as long as we give Him things. I don’t see God promising us happiness or social skills either. A home in heaven and a relationship with Him, maybe.
Absolutely agree with you Alice. I was trying to get across that God will always be there for us. No matter how many times we sin against him or make a mistake, He will constantly be there. We all get lost, but what counts is when we find God again! Once we are found, we are saved. But yes, home in heaven and a relationship with him are definitely the most important things, the rest is just human mind. I don’t know about you, but many times I caught myself praying to God for all of the above and many more.
And it goes back to the post from the other day. We may pray for whatever we believe that we need, but God will provide us only with what He truly think we deserve. And it will be by his timing.And that may be something totally off from our wish list, but that is when we ouR belief in Him steps in, as we trust Him with all He decide and all he provides.
I think He knows what we need more than we do is also her point. So when we confess our sin to God, acknowledge His righteousness and our need for His grace and mercy, He gives us exactly what we need. He gives us our daily bread.
“Coming clean” is not works. It is confessing our sin and accepting His forgiveness. JItconfesconfessing s
Sorry for that gibberish at the end.
I’m thankful for God’s abounding grace. It teaches me how to be merciful towards others. As God extends grace to us, we should do the same.
Here I am LORD.., speak for your servant Tina is listening…
The song.. Draw me close to you.., came to mind…if you want a listen, here’s the link…
http://youtu.be/IdJBYyNsQd0…I hope you are blessed…
On a funny note this was sent to me yesterday…
http://youtu.be/uUazP7gQs4w
Enjoy…
Wishing you well and every Blessing for this fine Thursday the Lord has made..let us indeed rejoice and be glad in it….hugs..xxx