Quote for the Day

“Should I not be concerned about that great city?”

Today's Prayer

This week, pray that God will transform your life and your attitude. Allow God to show you the grace and mercy He has given both to others and to you.

Jonah 4:1-11

Jonah 4:1-11 (NIV)1 But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. 2 He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home? 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. 3 Now, O LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”4 But the LORD replied, “Have you any right to be angry?”5 Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the vine so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?” “I do,” he said. “I am angry enough to die.”10 But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 But has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?”

Message

This is a tough chapter. What a dialogue between Jonah and God! Jonah has just done exactly what God wanted with the BEST result that could be expected. How did Jonah respond? He responded in anger, telling God something like, “I knew you would not kill these people; that’s why I did not want to come here in the first place!” Then, in an act of TOTAL selfishness, he goes up on a hill and waits to see if maybe God will destroy them and NOT show His boundless mercy. As Jonah waits for the destruction, God provides some shade for Jonah who selfishly sits in anger and depression. God then chooses to make the point that He is in charge, and He takes away the vine shading Jonah. What is Jonah’s response to this? “I am angry enough to die.”Wow! As Jonah arrogantly sits and waits for God to dole out justice to others, he is angry that God’s mercy is not given to him personally, 24X7. God’s response to Jonah is simple, “Is your comfort more important than the 120,000 plus people who have turned from evil and now worship me so that I can choose to show my mercy and compassion?”Jonah: a reluctant evangelist and a self-centered man, but USED by God. So, what attitude will you choose as God’s success is delivered through YOU?