Ministry & Leadership: Reflections on the Book of JonahSýnishorn

God’s Relief

Throughout the book of Jonah we are reminded that God is merciful and compassionate. He provides relief in a number of ways in the story:

God provides relief to Jonah from death. Here we see God demonstrating mercy on an individual level to the scoundrel who tried to run away from Him in the first place. He rescues Jonah from the depth of the ocean, allows him to repent and gives him a second chance at obeying God’s call. Not only that, He continues to minister to Jonah when Jonah is upset that God has forgiven the Ninevites.

God provides relief to a city of 120,000. God has numbered this great city. Although in the book they are treated as a group, it's clear that each and every individual had to repent and was numbered by God. God in His grace and mercy did not destroy Nineveh. Think about it: God said that He would do one thing but actually does another because the people chose to respond to Him. Now that’s grace. Implied in the story is another grace God shows to Nineveh. God waits for Jonah to get himself together to talk to the people of the city before giving the city their ultimatum. He takes time to raise up a prophet, call him, correct him, and then gives the city a chance to respond.

God provides relief to Jonah to make a point. God has already revived Jonah’s life but now as Jonah sits atop a hill to watch the city’s demise, He gives Jonah a plant as shade. He also sends a worm to eat the plant and a hot wind to increase Jonah’s discomfort. He is showing Jonah that it is God’s own prerogative whether He would like to provide relief or distress. He is a compassionate God and He loves His creation. His preference is to provide relief wherever possible.

Your ministry

God is calling Jonah to have the same heart as himself. A heart of deep compassion for people and for their salvation from sin and all the distress it brings into the world. God desires healing. God desires reconciliation. He desires this both for individuals and for people groups as a whole. He is patient while all the pieces need to fall into place for this to play out. He is detailed in His willingness to nurture workers’ hearts to do the work of ministry.

Heart Check

Am I patient with people as God prepares their hearts for ministry?

Do I believe that God’s grace extends to every person?

Am I asking God, in His grace, to work on my heart and help me to see people as He sees them?