Every day, people walk past us on their way to hell. We're not certain of their numbers, nor their names; we're not certain of their life stories. But this much is certain: every day, people walk past us on their way to hell. Do we see them? Do we care? The book of Jonah shows us how easy it is for God's people to be out of tune with the God of the Bible, unlike Him in compassion for the hell-bound around us. Jonah shows us the symptoms: when pride, prejudice, and personal comfort become primary in our thinking and living, we know we're in the same boat with Jonah. "… the LORD said (to Jonah), "You have had pity on the plant for which you have not labored, nor made it grow, which came up in a night and perished in a night. And should I not pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than one hundred and twenty thousand persons who cannot discern between their right hand and their left—and much livestock?" Jonah 4:10-11 (NKJV). But the same Divine Mercy that is wide toward sinners is just as wide toward God's own people; He'll send His winds and His whales and His worms purposefully to bring us from half-hearted to whole-hearted ambassadors. Is this happening in your life? Is it changing your affections and priorities? This Sunday, Lord willing, we'll finish our study of Jonah as we, again, consider, our "God of Mercy". We hope to see you here!
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Steve Massey is the pastor of Hayden Bible Church of Hayden, Idaho. He also writes about matters of faith for The Spokesman-Review of Spokane, Wash., where he previously worked as an editor and reporter. He and his wife, Pam, have two grown children, Jake and Sarah.