Mercy Beyond All Understanding
by Chevas Wong, Director of Contemporary Worship
Today we're focusing on Jonah’s second call to Nineveh and, at the end of this devotional, I’ll invite you to take a moment to 1) consider if we are going through something similar to what Jonah experienced, and 2) pray and invite God’s mercy — that surpasses our understanding — into our own inner-perspective.
Jonah is an Israelite with a whale-y important story, one best read as a whole. As we are being stretched in our understanding of God’s love, especially during this season of Lent, I encourage you to read his book — from head to... tail — and keep an eye out for how God’s mercy and salvation shelters the conflict happening in Jonah’s heart and mind.
Conversion of Nineveh
1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8 Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.”
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it. (Jonah 3:1-10 NRSV)
Nineveh, capital of Assyria, was the oldest and most populous city of the Assyrian empire — the nation that conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and held the southern kingdom of Judah — located in modern-day northern Iraq, near the east bank of the Tigris River.
After the whale delivered Jonah to the shores of Nineveh, we read that Jonah received a commission to announce God’s impending judgment to the Ninevites (offering them a chance to respond to God’s word, repent of their wickedness, and humble themselves before God).
This passage details how the Ninevites — enemy of Israel — reacted to the word of God; first, how their king led all Ninevites to repent and cry to God and, second, how God responded to them (with mercy). Even though this seems like a happy ending, it’s not so straight forward or simple from a human perspective.
When you read the text as a whole, you immediately sense the complexity of Jonah’s obedience. We know he struggled internally (for rational, logical, understandable reasons) before, during, and after he shared the word God asked him to share with the Ninevites; facing the truth that God’s love is perfect, and His mercy and salvation is for all humanity.
Have you ever wrestled with that in your life? I have. Sometimes I forget that God’s mercy isn’t regulated by human judgment or approval. God’s incomparable mercy is dutiful to His perfect love- it’s the gospel provided to me, and to you, and to all humanity. Praise God!
As we consider the things or people we’re grappling with today and during Lent, let’s make space in our minds and hearts, and pray these words if you’d like:
Prayer: Lord, help me remember who I am in Your story and why my testimony is important to You. How would You like me to carry Your heart to others? Where would You like me to be? What do You want me to do? I ask for Your mercy now. I want to be humble before You (even in my inner-dialogue). Help me to be merciful; help me encourage others to discover Your love; help us enjoy our walk with You- individually and together (as Your family of believers). Amen.
