Daily EncouragementSample

The chief mark of the book of Jonah is its missionary message. “Its subject,” it has been aptly said, “is not a whale but foreign missions.” Another noteworthy thing about the book is its significant questions, of which there is none more searching than this. It is God’s final question to Jonah about the pagan city of Nineveh.

The supreme reason for missionary endeavour is the compassion of God. God loved the people of Nineveh and was concerned to send his word to them. It was a special example of his love for all sinners and of his desire for their salvation. He still has the same love for sinners today. Despite their Belsens and their bombs they feel superior to the ancient Assyrians, who led their captives by hooks in their noses, but they are sinners all the same. So God still calls his missionary servants to Nineveh, and he still perseveres with those servants who are reluctant to respond.

The supreme hindrance to missionary endeavour is lack of compassion for the lost in the hearts of God’s people. Jonah had no love for Nineveh. Orthodox, ordained prophet that he was, he was out of sympathy with the heart of God. How often it has been so with the Church as a whole - chosen for a missionary purpose, and yet antagonistic to the divine missionary programme. Lord, have mercy upon us!