[Faith-Talk] devotional

[Rob Kaiser]

"But the Lord replied, "Is it right for you to be angry...But God said to
Jonah, "Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?" "It is," he said.
"And I'm so angry I wish I were dead." Jonah 4:4,9

The resistant, cranky, and angry prophet Jonah has long been a favorite of
mine. As a child I was intrigued by his trip in a giant fish's belly. As an
adult I have found myself relating to his resistance to obey God, his
frustration with how God chooses to operate and his anger at what seems to
be unfair of God. In Jonah I see my own resistance, frustration, and anger.

It's so easy to behave as Jonah does, or so it seems to me. When things
happen in life that are hard, confusing, or just seem unfair I can find
myself angry, angry at the situation, angry at people and yes, angry with
God. As I read these verses in Jonah a few things stood out to me. First,
God doesn't get angry back! How amazing that is to me. God is loving, kind,
full of mercy and SLOW to anger.

The other thing that I noticed is that God doesn't give Jonah a lecture but
asks him a question and later gives him an object lesson. The question is
such an important one, "Is it right for you to be angry?"

The first time God asked Jonah if it was right for him to be angry Jonah was
angry because God didn't do what he wanted, what he hoped God would do,
remove a threat by destroying thousands of people, his enemies. The second
time God asked, Jonah was furious because a plant God had provided that made
him comfortable was destroyed and he was now miserable and full of
self-pity, wanting to die for goodness sake.

God does not tell Jonah never to be angry but asks him to think about why he
is angry.  As I read this it seems to me this is a good question to ask
myself when I get angry, "Is it right for me to be angry?" Too often my
anger comes from frustration, disappointment, or selfishness.

God showed Jonah the big picture and exposed his petty, selfish, hard heart.
The next time I feel angry I'm asking God to help me stop and ask why I'm
angry, is it right, and to show me when my anger isn't right and to forgive
me when it's all about me.

 

 

 

Rob Kaiser Email;

rcubfank at sbcglobal.net