Jonah was born today to my youngest brother Mark. I wrote this meditation recently, and I dedicate it to the newest member of the extended Lau clan.


A Reluctant Evangelist Recommissioned

Text: Jonah 3:1-10. Read it here.

You can sympathise with Jonah in not wanting to preach a message of repentance to the Assyrians. After all, they were Israel’s bitter enemy: a cruel, wicked and violent (Jonah 1:2, 3:8, 10) ancient near Eastern neighbour. Eventually, Assyria would capture the Northern Kingdom in 722 BC and deport its residents (2 Kgs 17). I, too, would have been reluctant to bring a message of impending destruction to Ninevah, the Assyrian capital, lest the people repent and are saved. So Jonah refused. But now God has famously rescued Jonah using a fish (Jonah 2), and recommissions him (3:1-2).

For Jonah, a major part of his reluctance stems from his understanding of God’s character (Jonah 4:2). Despite the wickedness of the Ninevites, Jonah knew that in preaching a message of impending destruction (3:4), there was a chance that they would repent and that God would then turn from his anger and have mercy upon them (3:9-10).

But this is the character of our God. He is gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love (4:2; cf. Exod 34:6). Although he is a God of justice and righteousness, He delights in showing mercy and compassion to those who truly repent (3:5-8). At times, as we see the sin of the world around us, we may also feel reluctant to call for them to repent and trust in Jesus to be saved. But surely we too were once hostile to God (Col 1:21), but have now experienced his mercy and compassion. May our experience of God’s compassion compel us to go and share the gospel to all peoples, within Malaysia and beyond.
 
Question for reflection/Thought for the day:
Do you share God’s compassion for the lost?
 
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We praise you for you are a gracious God, merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. We thank you for the compassion you have shown us in your son Jesus, despite our hostility towards you. Please forgive us for our reluctance to share the gospel, and help us to boldly and faithfully proclaim your message to those who don’t yet know you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.