A Moody Messenger

Dear reader, 

I can be rather moody. I have a knack for being overdramatic in ways that are not always helpful. I don’t know why, but I can say I found a man in scripture who is quite like me. 

Jonah. 

Most of us could give a pretty decent recollection of the story. But as I reencountered it over the past four weeks there was an aspect I learned quite fast. 

Jonah is not the hero of the story. 

He’s the antagonist.

God gives Jonah a message to deliver to an evil group of people. 

Jonah says no, and turns around going the exact opposite way. 

God appoints a storm to stop Jonah. 

The crew fears God’s wrath and throws Jonah overboard. 

Jonah sits in a fish for three days. 

He then is vomited onto the land. 

Jonah delivers the message.

and waits for the destruction of Nineveh. 

The people repent. 

Jonah is pissed off. 

The End. 

That’s probably not how they told you the story on the flannelgraph back in Sunday school, but that is the narrative in a very blunt nutshell. 

Yet here is what I want to draw out God’s character in the story is so good. 

Obviously, God’s character is perfect, but amidst Jonah’s whiney behavior, God’s love and mercy is clear. 

He gives Jonah a second chance. 

He gives Nineveh a second chance. 

He gives us a second chance. 

God’s goodness and faithfulness towards us is not dependent on our actions towards him. He is perfect when we are anything but. 

We get moody. 

God is merciful. 

Sincerely, 

Your Fellow Moody Messenger

-Mitchell