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.
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!