Offended by Grace

CONSIDER THIS

We’ve all heard of Jonah and the whale, but who’s heard of Jonah and the worm? or Jonah the jerk? or Jonah and his upside down thinking? or being offended by grace? It’s all in the fourth chapter of Jonah the book.

Jonah hates Ninevah. They deserve to be wiped out. How dare God want to save them? So Jonah runs away. There’s a storm. Jonah lands in the belly of the fish. He prays. The fish vomits. And Jonah travels to hated Nineveh. Preaches. All of Nineveh repents. Astounding, right? Nooo! Jonah fumes and sulks. He and his-upside-down-thinking sees this as a disaster. Wow! Jonah is offended by God’s grace. So he turns and walks away. Again.

Does God give up on pursuing Jonah? No. Never. Look at all the things God designates just for Jonah to open his eyes: a big fish, a plant, a worm, a scorching wind. God’s mercy for Jonah is obvious. The real work of God’s compassion takes place in the heart of Jonah. After all, Jonah could have skipped writing this final chapter about himself. Instead he goes for it, humbly sharing the details, showing his own foibles and folly, showing he was a jerk, but God never gives up on him. God shows him grace once again.

This is a story of God’s love for even the most unlovable, despicable people we can imagine. It’s a story about you and me. Look at how we look at those we call our enemy, at those we despise, those who are hurtful, hateful and horrid, those who need Jesus the most. 

Look at how God pursues us and gives us grace, over and over again. Let’s share this profound life-changing amazing grace with others. Yes, even to those people. After all, Jesus didn’t have to stay on the cross longer for them.