Jonah 4:11

Scripture:

Jonah 4:11 (NIV) “And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left…”

Observation:

Anger. Prejudice. An uncompassionate spirit. I carried these three things around in my heart for years. Though I claimed to follow Jesus, in this area of my life I was walking in the opposite direction as my Savior. World events affecting America had turned me bitterly against a certain group of people (I won’t say which). They hated America, and so I hated them. I didn’t care if they went to hell or not. My problem was the same as Jonah’s. He wanted to see the people of Nineveh (enemies of Israel) face the judgement he felt they deserved). He was angry when God saw their repentance and showed mercy. Jonah said he was “angry enough to die” over it.

 

Then God says (paraphrased), “You don’t have any right to be angry. I am the only judge that matters. I care about these people too, even though they are wicked. C’mon, Jonah. These people are LOST! I want YOU to have my compassionate heart for them, no matter what they’ve done to you.” Is there anyone you hate, dislike, or have given up on because of anger, prejudice, or a lack of compassion? Ask Jesus to forgive you and help you see that person, or those people, through His eyes today.

Application:

• Personal Application: Continue spending time with the Lord daily. Sow righteousness and reap the fruit of God's unfailing love. 
• Family Devotional: Read this chapter to your family. Ask them if anything spoke to them as you read. Talk about their answers and show them that one important aspect of this chapter is that we must continue to spend time with the Lord and keep our hearts focused on His plans and purposes. Pray for them.

DAN KERSTEN is a missions journalist of 18 years, a licensed Assemblies of God minister, and serves as director of Development and Communications for Men’s Ministries and Light for the Lost with the U.S. AG. He has a deep passion for men’s discipleship and fulfilling the Great Commission. He lives in Republic, MO, with his wife, Tara, and their son, Omar.