Devotionals

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Jonah 3
(excerpt from Morning Meditations by Martin Wiles)
Jonah 3:10 When God saw that they had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and didn’t carry out the destruction he had threatened. (NLT)
I really messed up this time. My teen years were filled with foolish decisions, but this one ranked the highest. Tired of waiting on eighteen, I invited a friend on a foray. I packed my bag and the car, picked up my friend and headed for the mountains-never to return.
The trip was ill timed and just plain stupid. Having no money crimps most plans and it did mine. The secondary roads were snowed over, and my car was soon snowed in. We walked to a nearby motel for help only to have the manager recognize us as runaways. A policeman soon showed up and took us down to a holding cell until my dad and grandfather arrived. Though I didn’t get off the hook with Dad, I did with my grandparents. They were softer hearted and more understanding about my teen stupidity.
My grandparent’s soft heart often flustered Mom and Dad. From their standpoint, they let me off with too much. I think Jonah must have felt the same way about God. God told him to preach to the wicked Ninevites-repent or else. He ran. God sent a storm and huge fish to give Jonah time to meditate. Jonah’s grouchiness gave the fish indigestion, so the fish spit him up.
Cleaning off seaweed and muttering under his breath, Jonah went to Nineveh. The people repented and God relented. Jonah got mad. He didn’t like them anyway, and if God was going to have a soft heart, what was the purpose of the fish ride?
Jonah’s picture of God was skewed. While God punishes blatant rebellion, punishment is not his desired end. He would rather relate through love. When Nineveh repented, love was demonstrated. I’m glad my grandparents had a soft heart, and I’m
glad God does too. No matter how many times I mess up, he always prefers forgiveness over punishment.
Prayer: Lord, send the fish when I head in wrong directions so I can experience Your love instead of punishment.

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