Jonah’s response to God’s relenting is fascinating. But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity (1-2).
All I could think about is how Jonah was willing to accept God’s second chance for himself, but was angry when God gave the same gift to Nineveh! How fickle we can be. How self-centered we can be.
I thought of Jesus’ story of the wicked servant in Matthew 18. The servant is forgiven a huge debt but then turns and jails someone who owes him a small debt. The wicked servant couldn’t see that with his debt forgiven he should forgive others their debt. That’s Jonah... he was forgiven, yet he couldn’t stand it that Ninevites were forgiven too.
I was trying to imagine the prodigal son being mad at his father for welcoming his older brother into the party.
As hard as it is for me to understand Jonah, how often do I carry the same attitude. God, why are you forgiving ‘them’? God, way are you blessing ‘them’? God...
Lord, open my heart to receive Your grace and to rejoice when Your grace is given freely to others... I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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