After God forced Jonah to go deliver His message of repentance to the city, Jonah sat on the hill and waited for God to annihilate the wicked people of Nineveh. He climbed a hill and sat back, trying to keep cool under the shade of his plant. But as he sat there he was bewildered and then angry. What he thought should and would happen, didn't. Instead, his plant was destroyed by a worm and he lost his only shade. He, the man of God, who had risked his life to declare God's message to the wicked Ninehevites! At the very least, he deserved God's goodness, favor, and grace. I mean, really, Jonah had been sent far from home, shipwrecked, swallowed by a large fish, spit out on the beach, and forced to go into a town where his life was in jeopardy. He had gone to great lengths and been through many trials... And NOW God takes his one comfort?!!!!
On top of that God tells Jonah He won't be destroying Nineveh after all!
God: "Jonah! The message worked!"
Jonah: "But God! They deserve to die! They deserve your wrath! I don't want the message to work!"
Jesus was perfect. He cared for others. He was loved by the people. Yet he was taken into custody by the Romans, beaten, taunted, made fun of, made to carry his own cross uphill, and was nailed through His hands and feet to a cross.
As He hang there, the people mocking Him and yelling "Crucify Him!", He shows pity and love. He makes a request of His Father, "Father, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing."
There are people in this world who are like the Ninehevites. We look at them and we think, "Look at what they've done! They are the worst of the worst! They deserve God's judgment and wrath!
Get 'em God!!!"
But, God loved the world so much, He gave His only Son to die that WHOEVER believes on Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. (Jhn 3:16)
He doesn't love me anymore than the "worst" person. And without Him I deserve no better than the "worst" person. He wants to extend His love and forgiveness to everyone. No matter who they are. No matter what they've done.
My question is: Am I a Jonah? or a Jesus?
Do I realize the forgiveness granted me was so much more than I deserved? Do I long for others to receive that same forgiveness? And am I willing to forgive as God as forgiven me?
May we learn to be more like Him!
