One of the lessons that God is teaching Jonah throughout this book is the same lesson that God is teaching us. The whole book is teaching a lesson about the kindness of God’s mercy.
God’s mercy towards the superstitious, idolatrous sailors who don’t even know God, but end up asking God to have mercy when they throw Jonah overboard.
Read More mercy, God’s kindnessIn what ways is God merciful? How does God show his kindness? We get a clue as to the extent of God’s kindness in the first verse of this chapter where we read, “Once again the Lord told Jonah…” Here we see that the mercy of God is seen in the fact that He is a God who restores. He is the God who gives second chances.
Let’s face it, when Jonah took a ship to Tarshish, in the completely opposite direction from Nineveh, it wasn’t because he was dyslexic.
Read More mercy, consequences, second chances“I saw the Lord” (9:1 NIV). Have you? What does God look like? How much room does he take up? Our minds cannot cope with God. It is true: there is a hole the size of eternity and infinity, right in the middle. Our minds have a sink hole that does not end. But it’s boarded over. Sometimes it floods and half our treasures, and ideas, are sucked down, spinning like debris in a drain. But God, out there. God in front of our eyes?
Read More judgment, mercy, truth
The second legal case (6:1-5) begins with the accusation of corporate ingratitude and the emptiness of the people’s religious rituals (6:6-8). Justice and loyalty are absent (6:9-7:6). Once again, the rib concludes with the certainty of pardon (7:7-20).
The first section of the litigation is a dialogue between the LORD and the people (Micah is the spokesperson).
Read More humility, mercy, justiceThe tragedy of the second half of Micah 6 (guilty as charged!), leads to lament (7:1-6). “I feel so empty inside!” (v. 1) says the author. No harvest, no godly persons; only murderers, corruption and collusion, family discord – all utter despair.
Read More compassion, mercyRead Reflect What does reconciliation look like? In this chapter, Isaiah shows us what our relationship with God can be, even though our sin and betrayal gets in the way. The Lord tells us that his love is everlasting, that he will have compassion on you and that the blessing of his mercy will remain. […]
Read More reconciliation with God, fresh start, compassion, mercyRead Reflect Really, I don’t even remember exactly when I first heard these words but what I cannot forget is the manner in which they pierced my soul: “when others are in the wrong we demand justice but when we are wrong we seek mercy.” How true! Whether it’s my boiling reaction to extreme Islamist […]
Read More mercy, justice, patienceRead Reflect Today you face a choice … Will you seek the Lord, or will you follow the idols of this world? Will you seek righteousness and obey God or will you do your own thing? Will you clothe yourself in humility or will you assert your own self-will and pride? Humbly turn to the […]
Read More mercy, choice, Day of the LordRead Reflect Do you listen to country music? Most of us probably wouldn’t admit it. Pickup trucks, pretty girls, lost dogs and the hardships of life. Hurt and revenge and a nostalgia for back home. Country music tends to be a whole lot of sadness and just a glimmer of hope. Today’s scripture passage reminds […]
Read More mercy, justice, forgiveness, unfaithfulness
Paul, here is challenging Philemon to move from being a recipient of grace freely given to him to being a generous dispenser of grace to Onesimus who, like him, does not deserve it. Onesimus has run away from Philemon, risking the death penalty if captured. In the meantime, Onesimus has met Paul who has introduced him to Jesus.
Read More mercy, forgiveness