God who is Compassionate
God calls Jonah to warn Assyrian
city of Nineveh of impending
destruction. However the brutal
Assyrians are Israel’s bitter enemies
and Jonah both fears and despises
them. Instead of heading to Nineveh
Jonah sets sail in the opposite
direction. A storm ensues, Jonah
is tossed overboard & is swallowed
by a great fish. After three days
the fish deposits Jonah on dry land.
Jonah then goes to Nineveh and
preaches as God had instructed.
When the people repent, Jonah’s
resentment grows until God must
teach him a lesson in compassion.
Lord, we will Deliver Your Message:
The Lord spoke to Jonah a 2nd time.
Go to the great city of Nineveh and deliver the message of judgment…
This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command… He shouted to the
crowds:Forty days from now Nineveh
will be destroyed! The people of
Nineveh believed God’s message
and from the greatest to the least,
they decided to go without food and
wear sackcloth in sorrow (Jon 3:1-5)
Then God said: Is it right for u to be angry because the plant died? Yes,
Jonah retorted: even angry enough
to die! Then the Lord said: You feel sorry about the plant, though you
did nothing to put it there… But
Nineveh has more than 120,000
people living in spiritual darkness…
Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such
a great city? (Jonah 4:9-11).
Lord, learnt from passage that
Jonah was to preach only what
You told him: a message of doom.
Those who bring God’s Word
to others should not let fear
of people dictate their words.
For we are called to follow the
Spirit’s leading and preach/share
God’s message and His truth, even
though it may be unpopular. Amen.
Lord, I know there are people all
around who need to hear Your
message of hope and truth –
people whom I might not even
notice, but whom You love deeply.
Reveal them to me so that I can
pray for them and perhaps speak
an encouraging word to them.
Prepare their hearts to receive
word from You through me. Amen.
Dear Lord, we acknowledge Your
Sovereignty & You are In Control.
Help us not run away from doing
Your purpose in the world but
instead to Deliver Your Message.
Help us to Be Compassionate,
including those who are different
from us in race or background.
Help us not be inward looking but be
Your missionaries wherever we are.
Help us to share the Good News for
people truly Need the Lord. Amen.