Ministry Remnants: The Miracle in Jonah

If God acts with our fallen sense of "get-what-you-deserve" justice, 

we're all done for. 

He shows mercy instead and we all can feast at the table of grace if we will.

[Theology Thursday]

Yesterday I tried....

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I interrupt this monologue to comment on the expression "I tried." Why not simply say "I....[did whatever it is I did"]? 

I used to think it was unnecessary for preachers to say "as I try to preach" or some such. It seemed superfluous, maybe even a false humility or just unnecessary. Now I say it of myself because it is true -- "I tried." Did not I also "do it"? Of course! :) 

I say "I tried" because I feel the lack. If I had some sense I had done an extraordinary job of preaching maybe I wouldn't say "I tried" because I know it implies something like "I fell short" and that would sound false if I had not. Of course, even if it seems it went well to most, many might still say, "He should have tried harder!" :) 

So when I say "I tried" I mean exactly that. Everything we do is a trial of sorts. We don't get it as right as we wish, but we give it our best. 

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So...Sunday "I tried" to preach on Jonah, that most unusual jewel of Scripture. I read 3:10 to 4:11 and proceeded to speak of the miracles in Jonah, beginning with the fish. I listed 9, including the very miracle of God interacting with Jonah, for it is the Grandest miracle of all that God is "with us" in this sense, an expression of the Incarnation itself, God entering into our life.

But it seemed I should finish with the greatest miracle of the book which is the mercy of God. He shows mercy in giving Jonah room to run, in caring for Jonah the person more than Jonah the prophetic tool, and most remarkably in caring for Nineveh enough to relent from his plans to destroy it.

Jonah was no fan of the Ninevites. They had been cruel to his own people and their way of life was an affront to all the prophet would hold dear. This is why, it seems, he was likely fully sincere in his protest against God: "This is why I ran -- I knew you would show mercy to these awful people! I'd rather die than see this spectacle! These people don't deserve this -- not one iota!"

I paraphrase, but that's the gist.

This is Theology 101 in that it attempts to reveal God, how He makes Himself known to us. He is one who is a friend of sinners, who has no self-protecting pride, who gives blessing to the just and unjust, who loves to help the self-righteous among us find the grace of humility as we watch the undeserving find mercy.

We've all been Jonah, or at least I know I have. I'll describe it for you. One of the finest people I know, an old childhood friend, has been unusually blessed of God. He has loved God with all his heart and has thought no sacrifice too large to give. But by his own admission he worked too hard, neglected his family, was often unwittingly crass and unfeeling. 

What's the problem? His three daughters are some of the best people you will ever meet. Models of care and beauty and discipline, shapers of families in their turn who will mark the world with grace and excellence. Why is this a problem? Because, like Jonah looking on, folks know my friend doesn't deserve this mercy, this grace, this blessing beyond measure. It's even easy to say to the Lord, "What gives?"

But this is the Gospel, the unworthy servant, the man showing up at the end of the day who gets full wages like everyone else. If God acts with our fallen sense of "get-what-you-deserve" justice, we're all done for. He shows mercy instead, and we all can feast at the table of grace if we will.

But to do so we have to quit deciding who is worthy, and learn that no one is.

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"Thank you for the lesson of Jonah, dear Lord. Save me from begrudging your goodness to those I deem unworthy. I am the unworthy one. I ask your mercy and grace in my life for it is You Yourself I need and it is I myself gets in the way. For your very presence I pray, Amen!"