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Self-righteous attitude…. (devo reflection)

Jonah 4:1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.

At the end of Jonah 3, the people of Nineveh turned from their evil ways. Praise God. But in Jonah 4, Jonah is angry that God gives them a second chance. He doesn’t feel like they deserve it. Ironic, isn’t it?

Jonah 4:2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing 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.

Lord, Thank You that I can so easily see myself, my own actions in Your word. Thank You that when I try to get self-righteous about the behaviors I see, You remind me that I’m not so different. In many ways, Jonah’s self-righteous attitude is my own. Forgive me.

Jonah 4:3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

Lord, On this Easter Sunday, help me to have nothing but joy for Your grace and compassion, for your slow anger and abounding love. I am the recipient, the benefactor of that love and grace. I don’t deserve it. Help me to lay aside my judgement and just be thankful. You are risen, Lord. I praise You for that gift, that hope. Amen.

Jonah 4:4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Have a blessed day. I love you.

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Even in our mess.… (devo reflection)

Jonah 3:1-2 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

Yesterday I wrote a reflection on Luke 22:24-25, where after Jesus tells the disciples that He is going to suffer, that He will not eat and drink again until the Kingdom of God comes, they get into an argument with each other about which of them is greatest. At the time, I was grouching about writing a reflection when I was exhausted and done with humanity.

Jonah 3:3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.

Here, Jonah runs from God’s direction, endangers a ship full of sailors, spends time in the belly of a whale, and finally decides to listen to God’s call. My point? People have a lot of baggage—myself included—but if we will allow, Jesus can and will use us, even in our mess. But we have to show up.

Jonah 3:4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.”

Lord, Thank You for Your mercy and compassion. Thank You for giving Jonah a second chance to go to Nineveh to preach Your word. Thank You for giving the disciples a chance to carry on Your ministry, even after their ridiculous squabble. Thank You for a speaking to my heart again and again and again, for allowing me to reflect on Your word, even when I balk and grump. Help me to love others with the same amazing, fierce, compassionate love with which You love me. Amen.

Jonah 3:5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

Have a blessed day. I love you.

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Undeserved love, compassion, grace, mercy…. (devo reflection)

Jonah 2:1-2 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.

Precious Savior, Thank You for not turning Your back on me when I get myself into a mess, especially when I cause the mess by disobeying You in the first place. I don’t deserve Your compassion and mercy, but You lavish them on me anyway. Thank You.

Jonah 2:6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit.

Lord, Thank You for not leaving me to stew in my own ruin. I run headlong into the opposite direction, I blatantly ignore Your will for my life, I try to prove I can do it myself only to make a complete mess of it all, and still You bring my life up from the pit. Thank You for Your grace.

Jonah 2:9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”

Lord, You show me, again and again and again, love, compassion, grace, mercy. You show these in my pain and rebellion. You don’t walk away from me, no matter how hard I push. Thank You. Help me to treat others with the same undeserved love, compassion, grace, mercy that You so generously lavish upon me. No matter what. Amen.

Jonah 2:10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.

Have a blessed day.

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The Lord weighs the heart…. (devo reflection)

Jonah 1:1-2 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

I looked into commentary from two different sources for this book. One presented the view of Jonah’s actions I’ve long been familiar with: Jonah’s telling the sailors to throw him overboard was a selfless, repentant act. Jonah knew he was wrong for disobeying the Lord and this was his way to repent. The other commentary asks whether telling the sailors to throw him overboard was maybe Jonah’s most selfish act yet. What if Jonah was hoping to sink, die, and get out of God’s call permanently?

Jonah 1:3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

It’s an interesting theory that put me in mind of Proverbs 21:2 “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.” Human beings are quick to judge and interpret actions, but God knows the heart. We can’t know with certainty what Jonah’s motivation was, but God knew and went after Jonah with the same love, mercy, and compassion He shows for each one who is lost.

Jonah 1:11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”

Lord, Thank You for the reminder that our judgements of the actions of others are based on human factors. Only You know the heart. Help me not to make snap judgements of others, Lord. I’m not qualified. Draw me closer to You. Amen.

Jonah 1:12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”

Have a blessed day.

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A startling and beautiful revelation…. (devo reflection)

Isaiah 14:27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? (NIV)
A quick Google search turned up two examples of when God changed His mind. In Genesis 18, after Abraham pleads with Him, He says that He will not destroy Sodom if there are even ten good people there (Gen 18:32). And in Jonah 3, Jonah’s warnings (sent as a direct message from God), caused the people to turn from their evil ways, and “He relented and did not bring on them the destruction He had threatened” (Jonah 3:10).
Isaiah 14:27 The LORD of Heaven’s Armies has spoken— who can change his plans? When his hand is raised, who can stop him?” (NLT)
These examples paint a stark contrast to the wrathful, angry God of yesterday’s scripture. This is a God of mercy, a God who would rather see change and repentance than destruction. For me, this is a startling and beautiful revelation on the heels of yesterday’s descriptions of anger and wrath.
Isaiah 14:27 For the LORD of armies has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?” (NASB)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for Your presence, Your wisdom, and Your mercy. Thank You for helping me to uncover layers of Your personality as I study Your word. Draw me closer. Always. Amen.
Isaiah 14:27 I, the LORD All-Powerful, have made these plans. No one can stop me now! (CEV)
Have a blessed day.