Jonah: A Call to Love
I remember graduating from high school and I had it all figured out. I believed my theology was perfect and I fought with everyone who I thought was wrong. Long story short, I wasn’t nice to people of other religions. I argued harshly with them and was arrogant and I am sure they saw me as combative. Although I was right in much of what I said I had zero love for them. One day God convicted me showing me that I may have had zeal, but I did not have love.
The story of Jonah is often a lesson of obey God or you will get it like Jonah did. God will send a large fish or large problem to consume you. Although, I am not opposed to scaring your kids into following Jesus as I was growing up. Sort of joking! There is a story of love in the book of Jonah that we rarely focus on. To be honest, I didn’t see this part of the story until a few years ago.
God loved a group of people who were not Israelites called the Ninevites. These people were enemies of the Israelites and deserved great judgement. God, out of His great love and mercy sent Jonah to preach repentance so he could save these people. Jonah knowing God was a good God and a forgiving God didn’t want to preach this message because he wanted them to die. I would love to tell you that Jonah learned to have the heart of God and loved the Ninevites eventually, but we do not see that in this story.
Although Jonah may not have learned the lesson, it doesn’t mean we should miss it too. We are called to have the heart of God in how we love people and deal with people. God greatly convicted me and has given me not only love for my enemies but also love for those who believe differently than me.
Hope you will join us this Sunday.
Douglas Sheppard