PODCAST
Our God-Given Mission
June 14th, 2014
Jonah 4:1-11
When the people of Nineveh realized they had been spared by God, their public demonstration of repentance turned into a holy celebration. However, Jonah did not participate in the festivities. No one in Nineveh knew more about God’s deliverance than Jonah. When God had rescued him, Jonah had vowed to live before God with a song of thanksgiving on his lips (Jonah 2:9). But now we find him grumbling. He was quite ready to live with the destruction of Nineveh, but he could not tolerate the thought of her people being spared.
How could God tolerate someone like Jonah? The prophet was angry because God was good. He possessed a proud and exclusive spirit that stood in opposition to the spirit of God. His displeasure revealed a misunderstanding of our God-given mission.
- Is there some of that same attitude in us? If so, God wants to cleanse our hearts of it and fill us with His perfect love for all people.
- Have we grasped God’s message to Jonah and to us? It is that no one is outside of God’s mercy.
Author: Bill Manning
