Attitude Check
BIBLE VERSE FOR TODAY…. “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.” Jonah 4:2 ESV
We can all understand the saying, “thank God, I’m not God!” We can’t understand God’s ways, but Jonah as God’s prophet, certainly understood God’s character.
In the final chapter of the Book that bears his name we see that Jonah did not run away from God’s call to preach to the enemies of Israel in Nineveh because he was afraid. He did not run because he feared rejection and did not want to preach a message of judgment and repentance. Jonah ran from God’s call because he knew God was a God of mercy and forgiveness.
Jonah felt that God’s judgment would come faster if God just judged these idolaters and ruthless people, instead of “giving them a chance” to hear a message and repent.
The Lord revealed to Jonah how he suffered from misplaced priorities. When God allowed a vine to grow with supernatural speed to provide shade for Jonah, he was pleased. When a worm came and killed the vine, Jonah was distressed and upset. The final message of God to Jonah was,
“You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city…” (Jonah 4:10,11 ESV)
Mourning for plants more than people! That’s the human focus, not the God focus. Jonah didn’t need more courage. He didn’t need more faith. He needed a change in heart.
Jesus told His disciples, “…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in Heaven…” (Matthew 5:44 NIV) When we love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, we reveal the DNA of heaven. That is hard from a human perspective that is why we need the Lord’s help and the work of the Holy Spirit to change our hearts and adjust our attitude.
Jonah resisted God’s call, but the King and people of Nineveh responded to Jonah’s message and call to repent. They were earnest in their repentance. Sack cloth and ashes and fasting. Even for the animals. The result….God relented in bringing judgment.
When wicked King Ahab repented in earnest, the Lord delayed in bringing the judgment pronounced on his house until Ahab was dead.
It is observed that we want mercy for our sins, but demand “justice” for the sins of others. It is a far greater challenge to change our attitude and to have the heart of Jesus that understands, “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.” (Luke 15:7 ESV)
Prayer for today…. Lord, may our priorities and attitudes be those that conform to Your heart. Allow us to be those who will rejoice when those we desire to experience Your judgment, receive Your mercy instead.