Bible Reading: Jonah 4:1,2, 5a
Today’s Bible reading says, “But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He prayed to the LORD, ‘O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home?…I knew that you are a
gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity’…Jonah went out and sat down at a place east of the city...”
Jonah was so angry and so disappointed when God forgave the people from the city of Nineveh that he went outside the city limits and pouted.
Should Jonah have been disappointed with God? Had God honestly let him down?
No. Jonah’s disappointment was founded on his own self-centered temper tantrum. Jonah didn’t like the people of Nineveh. They had blatantly ignored and disobeyed God. Jonah didn’t want to see the people of Nineveh forgiven; he wanted to see them punished. God had promised to forgive the people of Nineveh if they would stop sinning and start obeying God. Jonah didn’t like it because God had kept His promise and forgiven the city, so, Jonah pouted.
We all want God to keep His promises. Sometimes God chooses to fulfill His promises in ways that we find unusual or unexpected. However, we should be glad that God is a God of integrity and not pout because He chose to keep one of His promises in an unusual or unexpected way.
When God keeps a promise in an unexpected way, do you pout or are you proud?
“Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” Philippians 2:14 & 15
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I’m proud that you are my God. Help me to trust You and serve You without grumbling, complaining, or pouting. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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