I woke up grumpy today. Startled and grumpy. There’s a trail that passes directly behind our home and is a favorite of dog walkers, bike riders, joggers, and walkers. We neighbors are accustomed to, and often delight in, the regular parade throughout the day.
Today’s parade, however, began before 530am with loud conversation between what seemed like a dozen persons. It was a calm, exceedingly pleasant fresh-air morning. Voices traveled as if over glass-still water. Voices so loud, I thought they were in the room with me.
Here’s the quandary. Do I let this shape my attitude for the day? Do I throw on my robe and run out to confront them? Do I yell from my window that they’ve just interrupted my first sleep-past-530-day in more than a week? If I did, I’d not be heard by them over the volume of their chatter. But you know who would hear, don’t you? My nearby neighbors would know it was me berating the walkers. And the Lord would know I’d interrupted someone else’s invigorating sweet morning to complain about my robbed sweet sleep. Ugh. Mercy and grace not evident anywhere, on my part. No loving others happening here. Double ugh.
All of this self-talk took about 30 seconds to spin through my head and propel me back to the pillow for a few more self-righteous thoughts before I dozed off. Was I robbed of much? No. Was my indignant attitude warranted? No.
Just to be sure I got the message, my morning devotional (read after another 90 minutes of sound sleep) had been orchestrated by the Lord for my maximum humbling: Jonah and his shade plant. Then God’s rebuke of Jonah’s concern only for himself and his total lack of mercy and compassion for repentant souls.
To set the stage … Jonah had reluctantly delivered the Lord’s message to the people of Ninevah calling out the message the Lord gave him. And the king of Ninevah called his people to fasting, mourning, and calling out mightily to God: “Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.” When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it. Jonah 3.8-10
Jonah 4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”
5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
Instead of acting graciously to those who have a chance at a rescue (similar to his own) by the Lord, Jonah selfishly prioritized his comfort. Instead of praising God’s steadfast love and mercy. Instead of acting lovingly toward others.
May we each (me especially), rise to the occasion to love others from a place not of startled grumpiness, but of settled assurance of knowing – KNOWING – I am loved undeservedly, rescued divinely and sacrificially, and set here in this place for this time to love others in a way that allows their heart to know our Savior.
Not my agenda. The Lord’s agenda today, tomorrow, always. Thankful beyond measure for our loving and merciful God who sent His Son to be our Redeemer when we could not help ourselves.
Amen and amen!
Blessings, Colleen