Christ Church Daily Devotion Feb 23 2024

The Daily Devotion from Christ Church on February 23rd, 2024, discussed the story of Jonah. When Jonah warned the king of Nineveh, the king and the people repented, which made Jonah angry. He didn't understand why God would show mercy to the Ninevites. But Jonah eventually learned that God's forgiveness is not limited to a select few and that everyone can repent and receive grace. The message encourages us to consider if we are willing to pray for the mercy and forgiveness of those who have wronged us. Welcome to Christ Church's Daily Devotion for February 23rd, 2024. Today we will be reading from Jonah chapter 3 verse 6 through chapter 4 verse 4. When Jonah's warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat down in the dust. This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles. Do not let peoples or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything. Do not let them eat or drink, but let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened. But to Jonah this seemed very wrong and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, Isn't this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall. By fleeing to Tarshish, I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love. A God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live. But the Lord replied, It is right for you to be angry. When Jonah reluctantly did what God called him to do, he was still angry with God for having mercy on the people of Nineveh. Can you still follow God even when you disagree with some of God's ways? Jonah could not understand why God wanted him to go to Nineveh. Jonah didn't want the Ninevites forgiven. He wanted them destroyed. He did not understand that the God of Israel was also the God of the whole world. Jonah was surprised that the Ninevites repented and that God had compassion for them. He had forgotten God's mercy for him and was happy when God saved him, but he was angry when Nineveh was saved. Jonah was learning a valuable lesson about God's mercy and forgiveness. God's forgiveness was not only for Jonah or for Israel alone, but for anyone who repents and believes. Jonah was reluctantly obedient, even though he did not understand the plan. In the end, God extended grace to Jonah and to the Ninevites. Your personal worship option today is that God's mercy is amazing. He offers second chances, pardons, and grace to everyone. Sit with that for a few minutes. Everyone. Are there people in your life who are so far from God and made so many wrong choices that you wish judgment and destruction would come to them? Do you want them destroyed? Or do you wish that they could experience God's mercy and forgiveness? What will your prayer be for them?