Jonah 1-4
This is a famous narrative in the Bible. On Christmas day, this story becomes more relevant. Comparing 1:1-3 and 4:1-4, I find that the grace and mercy of God is well-known to Jonah. He displeases the Nineveh so much that he does not like them to repent. He knows God will forgive them when they repent. They are wicked people, and they are cruel to Israel. Jonah thinks he is very reasonable to escape such a mission to prophezise to them (1:3, 4:2).
What a blessing to me today! When Jesus came to the earth, I am also a wicked people, not deserving of His forgivness. I should be perished according to any righteous standard (just as what Jonah have thought about the Nineveh). But He is "a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster (4:2)." He has sent His Son for me! For His creation the Creator shows the greatest love. We are so finite compare with His infinite, but He even cares for me just because I am His creation (4:10).
This is a famous narrative in the Bible. On Christmas day, this story becomes more relevant. Comparing 1:1-3 and 4:1-4, I find that the grace and mercy of God is well-known to Jonah. He displeases the Nineveh so much that he does not like them to repent. He knows God will forgive them when they repent. They are wicked people, and they are cruel to Israel. Jonah thinks he is very reasonable to escape such a mission to prophezise to them (1:3, 4:2).
What a blessing to me today! When Jesus came to the earth, I am also a wicked people, not deserving of His forgivness. I should be perished according to any righteous standard (just as what Jonah have thought about the Nineveh). But He is "a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster (4:2)." He has sent His Son for me! For His creation the Creator shows the greatest love. We are so finite compare with His infinite, but He even cares for me just because I am His creation (4:10).
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