Day 190 – Jonah Preaches & Pouts

• Our second day in the book of Jonah sees the end of this short story. I always enjoy reading it, and despite its familiarity, the fourth chapter always gives me plenty to think about. What about you?
• Before we get there, let’s consider Jonah 3. Following on from his mistakes in the early chapters, Jonah got a second chance to do his job at Ninevah. Are you good at taking the second chances that God gives you to share the gospel? Or even the third or tenth? Did Jonah take his?
• How did the people in Ninevah respond to Jonah’s message? How did their repentance show in the way that they acted? Does this mass humbling of themselves in the face of God’s warning surprise you, and do you think it surprised Jonah or not?
• Jonah’s story – and his little book – could have ended at the end of the third chapter, but the story isn’t over yet. Jonah 4 opens with the prophet in an angry mood. Why was he angry? What reasons did he give in the arguments he presented to God in Jonah 4:1-2?
• Jonah got a second chance in the belly of the fish, for which he thanked God. Why then do you think he was so angry when the people of Ninevah received their “second chance” too? If you had been a friend of Jonah at the time, what might you said to try and make him re-evaluate the situation?
• How did God help Jonah to understand His mercy, with the use of the leafy plant, the worm and the hot east wind?
• What connection did Jesus make to Jonah when talking about Himself in the final reading today?

So, what do we take from this interesting little tale? Perhaps it’s an early indication in the Old Testament that God’s mercy will extend beyond that of just the Jewish nation. Perhaps it’s a reminder that we can’t thwart God’s plans, however far we run! Maybe it’s an important nudge to ourselves that Christians aren’t called to be in a private little club; everyone can come to accept the good news of Jesus if it is shared with them. Even the people that we don’t think would ever accept the message!

That challenged me today. I could swap “the people from Ninevah” to be the people in my life who are antagonistic towards me or the Christian faith. Those I think would never consider accepting Christ. Perhaps those people I just don’t get on with, or have had a bad experience with in the past, who (if I was feeling particularly mean) I might not even want to accept the gospel and come to church, because then I’d have to spend more time alongside. Isn’t that an awful set of thoughts? How selfish we can be when we allow these thoughts to dwell in our minds.

There are so many people who also “don’t know their right hand from their left” when it comes to the wonderful saving message of the gospel. Pray for someone by name tonight, and be brave when it comes to sharing your faith with them this week.