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The final chapter of Jonah’s story is strange and often overlooked. Most people know Jonah was spit out of a fish. Most childhood versions of the story celebrate the repentance of Ninevah but we rarely talk about chapter 4. It's for a good reason. It is incredibly bizarre.
You would think that a prophet who saved an entire city would be ecstatic. God wasn’t going to destroy the city after all. But Jonah wasn’t happy.
It’s ironic really. Jonah needed God’s grace over and over again. When it came to God offering that same grace to the people Jonah hated, Jonah didn’t think they deserved it. Sadly, he wanted 120,000 people to die, simply because he loved his country and his reputation more than he loved God’s grace.
We do the same thing. We forget about all the times our disobedience threw us overboard and we feel superior to people who are just as in need of a savior as we are.
Thankfully, God was patient with Jonah, even in his outburst and pouting. He does the same for you and me. Understanding and being changed by God’s grace is a long journey that happens in stages.
Is there a person or people in your life that you believe deserve God’s grace less than you? Have you become hard-hearted towards people that God love. Take a moment and ask God to soften your heart and help you share the grace you so graciously need yourself.
After you finish reading, be sure to listen to the daily podcast episode of Jonah by Daily Faith + Life wherever you listen to podcasts.
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About this Plan
Almost everyone is familiar with the man who was swallowed by the whale. But Jonah is much more than a childhood Bible lesson, at its core, it’s a story about a stubborn man and a gracious God. Over the next 7 days, you will read Jonah’s story twice along with some other companion verses.
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