FROM TODAY'S READING (6/27/2014)...
"Jonah's sulking disappointment came from a failure of imagination, a failure of heart. He had no idea what God was doing, the largeness of his love and mercy and salvation. He had reduced his vocation to his own performance - being in the right place, doing the right thing - but he interpreted everything through his Jonah ideas, his Jonah desires. It was certainly commendable that he had become obedient, that he was doing what he was called to do. But he was inexperienced in God, a stranger to grace."
- Eugene H. Peterson (Under The Unpredictable Plant, pg 161)
Jonah 3:10-4:4 (NLT) When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.
This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the LORD about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, LORD! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”
The LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”
PRAYER - Dear gracious God, help me today not to be "...a stranger to grace." Amen.
