DON’T THROW A PITY PARTY God told Jonah to go to Ninevah, the capital city of Assyria, to tell the citizens that God was fed up with their long-term wickedness. But Jonah didn’t want to, so he bought a ticket on a ship bound in the opposite direction. He headed for Tarshish, in southern Spain: “God is not in Spain, I’ll go there to be out of the presence of God (1:3). But God wouldn’t let Jonah get away. He caused a storm to almost destroy the ship on which he was sailing. The crew didn’t want to die, but Jonah did. He told them, “God is angry with me for being disobedient. If you throw me overboard you’ll be saved.” And that’s what happened. They threw him overboard, then the bodies and the souls of those pagans (worshipers of many gods) were saved. They became believers in the one true God (1:16). However, Jonah’s death wish was not fulfilled. God prepared a large fish to swallow him and he lived in the stomach of that specially prepared fish for 3 days and 3 nights. This is the length of time Jesus spent in the grave (Matthew 12:40 & Luke 11:29-32). Jonah confessed and repented (1:9) for defying God and the fish threw him up. He had a second chance. God told Jonah to go and preach repentance to Ninevah, and this time he did. He walked the streets shouting that God was going to destroy the entire city in 40 days. Chapter 3, verse 7 says that the king issued a decree for everyone-- adults, youth, children, even animals—to fast, pray, repent, to turn from evil and violence. The king said, “ Who knows? Maybe if we all repent, God will save all of us.” And that’s what happened. Chapter 3, verse 10 says, “God changed his mind.” Remember this if you are tempted by Satan to believe that our sacrifices are a waste of time. Fasting, praying and repenting can influence God’s plans for our future. You might think that the Jonah should be feeling pretty good--God had used him to bring salvation to two groups of sinners: The first time onboard ship with a few sailors, and the second time, deliverance for 120,000 Assyrians. But no. The good prophet was angry. It turns out that Jonah knew God very well. If you listen closely you can hear his angry prayer, which begins in chapter 4, verse 2: “I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. This is why I didn’t want to go to Ninevah. I knew if I preached your Word to those pagans you might save them. Now you’re going to, aren’t you, God? How dare you. I knew you were gracious and merciful and even-tempered and loving and reluctant to punish folks, guilty folks. That wicked city deserves destruction, but nooooo, you’re going to forgive them. And I’m so angry I want to die (verse 3). Please Lord, just kill me.” Then Jonah left the city, built himself a little shelter and waited to see what God would do. God chose to use compassion to teach Jonah a lesson. He made a tall bush grow specifically to shelter pitiful Jonah from the relentless heat and sun. Jonah became happy. Then overnight God caused a worm to attack the bush and it died. Then God sent wind and sun to bear down on Jonah. And true to his nature, Jonah asked God to let him die. Three times Jonah threw a pity party: during a stormy voyage at sea, after a whole city repented, and after a bush withered away. Three times he had a death wish that God refused to honor. Instead, God showed Jonah how wrong he was to be upset over the destruction of a bush, while caring nothing about the lives of 120,000 people. This is God’s message to us today: “I AM God. I created everything and everyone. I have the right to save or end human life, animals, nature and all the souls I want. I can choose to grant mercy when you think I should dole out justice. God gave Jonah a second chance. If we stroll down memory lane, we’ll find that God has forgiven us more times than we can count. He expects us to forgive one another over and over again. It is very appropriate during Lent—the season of repentance & reconciliation—to examine ourselves. It is relevant for this afternoon’s scheduled Christian Conversation, for us to come back from 2-4 pm with the intent to talk and listen and forgive those we hold grudges against. God pays attention when we fast and pray for greater love and unity, for spiritual growth, for an increase in our worship attendance and gifts to the church, for a commitment to Our Vision to Reach Up, Reach In & Reach Out. Jonah learned the hard way that it’s better to obey than run from God. It’s better to celebrate God’s mercy than to be angry or resentful that God hasn’t given us sinners the justice we deserve. It’s better to accept God’s purpose for our lives than to feel sorry that God hasn’t given us an easier ministry. God is loving, let us show love. God is forgiving, let us forgive one another. God is merciful, let us be merciful to one another. God is slow to anger, let us strive for self-control. God is reluctant to punish, let us reject the desire to get even. God is joyful, let us reject self-pity. These are today’s challenges for us this Third Sunday in Lent. Amen. |