Jonah 3-4

“Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish?” (Jonah 3:9)

Jonah heeded God’s command this second time and preached to the people of Nineveh. The people believed and they repented. They fasted, covered themselves with sackcloth, and sat in ashes – every one of them from the greatest to the least of them.

We know that they have indeed turned from their evil way and from the violence in their hands as we read of Jesus’ testimony of them in Matthew:

“… The men of Nineveh shall stand up with this generation in the judgment, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; …” (Matthew 12:41).

When one sinner repents, there is joy even in the presence of the angels in heaven (Luke 15:10). And yet we read here that Jonah was angry. Why so?

When someone we know turn back from his wrongdoings and repent before God, do we receive him back with open arms? This reminded me of the parable of the prodigal son when the brother started to grumble and murmur against the father who was showing exceptional grace towards him who had returned home.

Did Jonah not know that God was a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness (Jonah 4:2)? He knows! It was precisely because he knows that he ran away from God the first time. He knew that God would surely relent if the people repented.

So, that could only mean that…. Jonah was not happy that God relented. He was angry that God had showered His grace upon the people of Nineveh. He did not think that they deserve such grace.

Similarly, today, it could be easy for this kind of attitude to seep unknowingly into our mindset, especially for us who have been in church for a long time. 

Because we have put in much effort to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, to keep His Word and to be holy, it almost feels like we have earned the grace. We have forgotten that the definition of grace itself is something that cannot be earned, but is freely given.

None of us deserve the grace that God has given us. And there is no way we can earn this grace. So how can we exclude others from the grace of God?

Even the seemingly most undeserving man deserves a chance to repent. How can we play the Judge and condemn?

Therefore,

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus… (Philippians 2:5)

As we continue our walk with God, may we grow to be more and more like Him. Let His heart which desires all men to be saved be also found in ours.

Lamentations 3

Have you ever had your world come crumbling down, and everything you had hoped for is gone; when all you see is darkness, and every step feels heavy as though your feet have been chained; when you tried to cry and shout, but no words came out; when you feel as though your heart’s been pierced, and you find yourself walking alone?

Prophet Jeremiah penned down his anguish in this chapter, seeing his prophecy becoming reality right before his very eyes. He was lamenting, grieving.

Grief is a very normal emotional process that we all will go through. We might grief over the loss of a job, a good opportunity, the death of a loved one, or some other things. Jeremiah grieved for Jerusalem, for Israel, seeing the state that it has become. Do we also grieve over the state of our (spiritual) life?

However, grief must be coupled with hope; otherwise we will find ourselves sinking deeper and deeper into that bottomless pit of depression.

In this same chapter, we read about the prophet’s hope in God.

This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.
Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”
(Lamentations 3:21 - 24)

The prophet recalled to his mind the Lord’s mercies, therefore he has hope. The amazing thing about being Christians is our hope in God - we know that He will never forsake us, and that even if all else fails, we know that He will bring us back to our heavenly home at the end, and this brings assurance to us and gives us a living hope.

(However, food for thought - how do we recall to our minds the words and promises of God, during times of need, if we do not first read His Word daily?)

The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man to bear
The yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and keep silent,
Because God has laid it on him;
(Lamentations 3:25 - 28)

During these tough times, we must also learn to wait for Him, and to seek Him. In other words, we must constantly strive to be nearer and nearer to God. We seek not just for comfort, or peace, but we also seek a sort of understanding; we seek to understand God more and more.

        “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear,
         But now my eye sees You. (Job 42:5)

And during these times, it is probably best to be quiet. Have our quiet time with God alone. Meditate on His Words. Pray. You may be amazed at the still, small voice that has been trying to reach you while you had been buzzing around.

For the Lord will not cast off forever.
Though He causes grief,
Yet He will show compassion
According to the multitude of His mercies. (Lamentations 3:31-32)

So while we remain in the rubbles and ruins and broken pieces (whether due to our wrongdoings, or as a trial from God), let us learn from Jeremiah to focus on God, and to hope in Him, while we seek Him and wait for Him in quietness.

Let us search out and examine our ways,
And turn back to the LORD;
Let us lift our hearts and hands
To God in heaven. (Lamentations 3:40-41)