A Gracious GOD

 July 3, 2023 - Bible Reading and Meditation- Jonah 4 KJV

“[1] But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. 

[2] And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil.”

Words to ponder:

A Gracious GOD

Jonah; in our last lesson about faith, come to his senses, after running away from GOD, that he has nothing to do but to obey the GOD whom he serve. 

And after preaching to the people of Nineveh, that all, even their king repented from their sins, that The anger of The LORD was appeased. Jonah then  start sulking like a child because The LORD’s judgement to the people of Nineveh were differed. 

Here we can see in Jonah our self through his :

1. Attitude toward GOD v. 1

2. Acknowledging of who GOD is v.2

3. Attritional moment v.3

4. Apathy towards the people of Nineveh. v 5

But The LORD is a Gracious GOD; He knows how to comfort His sulking servant, just as a loving father caresses his grumbling little child. 

What the LORD had done to Jonah:

1. Cares for his feelings v.4

2. Come to him and provided for his immediate needs. v6

3. Comfort him in his vulnerability.v.6

4. Command the nature; the gourd plants to grow in the night;  to provide Jonah a shade, prepared worms to eat the gourd in the morning and the wind to blow the withered gourd, so Jonah will understand the meaning of GOD’s compassion for His human creation. 7-11

The GOD of the King James Bible whom we serve is a 

• Caring GOD- 1 Peter 5:7, Matthew 11:28-30

• Concern to every human’s need.. Matthew 6:25-33

• Comforting GOD 2 Corinthians 1:3,4

• Commanding GOD. John 14:15,21

• Compassionate GOD that He is willing  that people should perish. Lamentations 3:22,23, 2 Peter 3:9,10, Jonah 4:11

Knowing this things about GOD, let us then keep our heart, mind soul and  spirit in love of our Loving GOD in the Name of our LORD and Savior JESUS CHRIST; for their is no variableness in Him. And though our attitude changes frequently towards Him, He still remain the Gracious GOD and He will never change. 

Though His dealings to us ward sometimes changes, depend on the gravity of our action,  He will remain the compassionate GOD in His nature; The GOD whom we serve is The Only Gracious and Unchangeable GOD.

Let all Glory Honor and praises be Only unto Him everyday and ever! 

Amen!

Jonah 4:1-11 KJV

[1] But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was very angry. [2] And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. [3] Therefore now, O Lord, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live. [4] Then said the Lord, Doest thou well to be angry? [5] So Jonah went out of the city, and sat on the east side of the city, and there made him a booth, and sat under it in the shadow, till he might see what would become of the city. [6] And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd. [7] But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered. [8] And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live. [9] And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death. [10] Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night: [11] And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?