The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Jonah 4:9,
"God said to Jonah, 'Do you have a right to be angry about the vine?' 'I do,' he said. 'I am angry enough to die.'"
Jonah dispels misconceptions we have about God's prophets. We seem to assume they were all godly men who had arrived at such a point of spirituality they no longer struggled with the sins we ordinary folk struggle with. Certainly God would not choose to use anyone other than a perfect specimen of "spiritual growth" to advance his purposes? Right? Jonah must have been on the elder board of the local church, had attended all of the latest seminars and classes taught by all the hot, new authors of best-selling books down the Christian book store. Surely he was among those who constantly gravitate toward the newest ministry promoting all the best innovative ideas to reach out into the community, building the biggest... well, you get my idea.
No, Jonah didn't emulate such people. Neither did many of God's prophets I suspect. God is able to use anyone. Just ask old King Saul, 1 Samuel 10. It appears that God hand picked certain individuals to speak on his behalf and they may have been quite a bit just like you and me. See 2 Peter 1:20-21,
In any event, here we find God's prophet Jonah, struggling with his anger, "Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry." Jonah 4:1. Angry with what God had done! "Now, O Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live." Verse 3. That is a lot of anger. The next day Jonah is angry again, "I am angry enough to die." Verse 9. This time he was angry about God removing a relief he enjoyed - and this after his anger over God providing relief for the Ninevites.
Jonah has his own ideas, and those appear to be at odds with God's agenda. There may be some very good reasons Jonah felt the way he did about the Ninevites... he certainly resented God's compassion for them. It led to an anger he struggled with. Believers are told to turn from anger, "But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice... " Colossians 3:8. "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger..." Ephesians 4:31. This is because, as James tells us, "man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you." James 1:19-21.
I am reminded that God can and does use us all for his purposes. I am also reminded it is God who qualifies who he will use for whatever purpose he has. Jonah is a fascinating read as a reminder that God can use any of us, in spite of ourselves. I'm quite certain if the Lord ever used me, it would be in spite of my own shortcomings.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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