Patience and Petulance

Petulance is a word that is little-used these days.  One definition says it is 'the quality of being childishly sulky or bad tempered'.  I find it interesting that it says the 'quality of....'.  I usually associate quality with that which is good but I guess we  also speak of poor quality goods.

I was reading a story in the Bible which many people think is just a myth, but Jesus didn't refer to it as a myth when he used it as an illustration of his death in Matthew 12:40. Yes, I'm talking about Jonah.  He was a man who God wanted to use to warn a large city of impending doom so they could repent and be spared destruction. You would kind of think that would be an awesome mission but Jonah didn't want any of it.  Instead he bought a ticket on a ship that was going in the opposite direction!

Jonah's act of disobedience almost cost the loss of the ship and many lives on board during the great storm that rose up.  The ship's captain and the sailors were frantically crying out to their gods and they pleaded with Jonah to pray to his God. Instead, Jonah said, "I'm the cause of this storm, just throw me overboard!" Did he think by doing this he was going to escape his mission? No, God wasn't giving up on him yet!

During an incredible 3 days and nights in the belly of a large fish Jonah came to his senses and repented of his disobedience.  On God's command the fish vomited Jonah out onto a beach and he went on to Ninevah to give them God's message. Did he have to go through such turmoil? I don't think so, but I think God was working on this fellow's character as the rest of the story shows.

You would think Jonah would be happy that people actually listened and believed that his message was from God, that they repented and cried to God for forgiveness.....think again.  Jonah watched and waited to see what God would do and when God relented from destroying Ninevah, Jonah was angry and petulant.  He actually said to God, "I know that you are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness.  One who relents from doing harm. Therefore take my life now, it is better for me to die than to live." Jonah 4:2-3.  Jonah showed himself to be childishly sulky and utterly selfish in not being able to rejoice in God's mercy on Ninevah. Maybe God was showing him some areas in his life that needed changing.  We all have those, and God knows how to put us in positions that test us to grow us.

There are many lessons we can take from this story and please, look for what God wants to say to you about it.  I want to highlight what Jonah knew about God, and that is, his patience and long-suffering, his mercy and kindness.  As 2 Peter 3:9-10 tell us 'The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.'

I feel like I am beating the same drum, but even as I was writing, I didn't know how this article was going to finish until I prayed about what I was to take out of this for myself.  I believe it is this, that God, in his love and mercy, is continuing to call people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ so that they do not perish when his judgement finally comes on our world.  He's calling us to wake up and walk with him, to speak up, and to love people enough to lead them to the Great Lover of their souls.....Jesus Christ, the son of God who takes away the sins of the world.  

PRAYER; Lord God, help me to be a lighthouse for you, looking for the lost, warning of danger, guiding to safety and leading them to your light.  Amen