Most of us know the story of Jonah, but it’s really not about the big fish or the whale at all. God told Jonah to take a message of judgement to Nineveh, an evil city who had attacked Jonah’s people. But Jonah wanted nothing to do with Nineveh and ran away.

He ended up thrown into the sea and then, from inside a fish, Jonah said sorry to God. In the end he went to Nineveh and gave them the message, and they said sorry to God too (3:5-10). Great story, right? Except it doesn’t end there. While Nineveh decided to trust God, Jonah got angry and asked God to kill him (V.3).

The story of Jonah is about how small our love can be for one another, and yet how big God’s love is for all of us. “The Lord . . . is patient with you,” wrote Peter, “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 PET. 3:9). God offers His love to the violent city of Nineveh, to Jonah in his anger and to you and me.

By: Tim Gustafson

To Pray About . . .

Father, we are so quick to decide what other people ‘deserve’, but we need Your love as much as everyone else