Accepting God's Mercy: Jonah's Lesson on Compassion

Devotional

Day 1: God's mercy reflects His true character.

Jonah's anger at Nineveh's repentance highlights who God truly is: gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in faithful love, and willing to relent from sending disaster; this passage calls the reader to behold a God whose very being is mercy, not merely occasional kindness, and to let that truth shape how one understands justice, repentance, and salvation in the world. [10:18]

Jonah 4:1-11 (ESV)
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."
4 And the LORD said, "Do you do well to be angry?"
5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.
6 Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade for his head to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.
7 But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day, and it attacked the plant, so that it withered.
8 When the sun arose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he desired to die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."
9 But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."
10 And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night.
11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"

Reflection: Name one person or group you find hard to receive God's mercy for; spend five minutes right now praying specifically that God would show them mercy and ask Him to change your heart toward them.

Day 2: God rescues even when people run.

Jonah's flight, the storm, and the Lord appointing a great fish to swallow Jonah emphasize that God's mercy pursues even the one who runs; God's rescue is not merely reactive but sovereignly arranged so that mercy can be received and transformation can begin, showing that fleeing does not put one beyond the reach of God's redeeming purpose. [28:06]

Jonah 1:17 (ESV)
And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

Reflection: Think of one way you've avoided a call from God; identify one concrete step you can take today (a phone call, a confession, a returned visit, a small act of obedience) to turn back toward that call and take it.

Day 3: The Creator's authority humbles human judgment.

When God asks "Is it right for you to be angry?" the question functions like Job 38:4 — a reminder that the Creator, who established the earth, has the authority to extend mercy as He pleases; this humbles the creature and presses the reader to surrender the demand to be final arbiter over God's justice and mercy. [31:31]

Job 38:4 (ESV)
"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding."

Reflection: When have you felt entitled to judge God's decisions? Take five minutes to list three ways God's sovereignty has proven trustworthy in your life, then pray, "Lord, I will trust You," aloud.

Day 4: God relents disaster by offering new life.

The sermon connects God's relenting from disaster with the redemptive work of Christ and the promise of a new heaven and a new earth; God's patience and provision in Christ mean the ultimate disaster—eternal separation from God—is held back for those who turn, and that truth should fuel both gratitude and urgent compassion toward others. [19:49]

Revelation 21:1-4 (ESV)
1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.
2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

Reflection: Write down one name of someone who does not yet know Christ; pray for that person now and commit to take one specific step this week (a message, coffee, invite to church, or a simple prayer over them daily) to share God's mercy with them.

Day 5: Choose worship even when answers are absent.

The honest wrestling with God's mercy—whether toward Nineveh or in the pain of loss—leads to the hard but faithful posture of praising God anyhow; even when mercy doesn't look the way one hopes, the right response is to bless the Lord at all times and hold fast to His character. [38:31]

Psalm 34:1 (ESV)
I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Reflection: If you're holding disagreement or grief today, spend five minutes now listing five truths about God's character (gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in love, faithful), then speak a short prayer of praise aloud.

Sermon Summary

I opened with Thanksgiving on my mind, because Jonah 4 forces me to look hard at gratitude—especially when God’s mercy lands on people I would not have chosen. We traced Jonah’s journey: he ran from mercy, ran to mercy in the fish, and then ran with mercy to Nineveh. The whole city repented. That should have been a day of dancing. Instead, Jonah seethed. He knew exactly what God is like: gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, and the One who relents from sending disaster. That knowledge didn’t make him sing; it made him pout.

We pressed into three reasons God extends mercy. First, it’s who He is. Mercy isn’t an occasional mood; it’s God’s nature. Second, as Creator, it’s His right. The appointed plant, worm, and scorching wind were God’s patient way of asking, “Is it right for you to be angry?” He alone appoints, sustains, and removes—down to the shade on our heads. Third, His mercy exposes where we’ve gone wrong. Jonah loved a plant more than people made in God’s image, and God let that misordered love come to the surface. We need that same exposure. Do I rejoice over my comforts more than over a city full of souls?

From there we lifted our eyes to Christ, the great sign of God’s relenting. In Jesus, the disaster aimed at us is turned aside. That truth doesn’t erase every ache. I shared about my mom, her addiction, her death, and the flight where I had to decide: if God’s mercy doesn’t look the way I hoped, will I praise Him anyhow? Later I found a notebook of her prayers—a breadcrumb of hope. But the call remains the same either way. Will we worship the God who is mercy, trust His Creator-right to give it as He wills, and celebrate when He pours it out on the last people we’d expect? Thanksgiving becomes a way of life when His character—not our preferences—sets the tone of our hearts.

Key Takeaways

1. Celebrate mercy you didn’t script When the undeserving receive grace, the right response isn’t to calculate fairness but to remember what God gave us when we were still running. Jonah’s anger exposes how quickly we center ourselves in God’s story. Joy grows when we rehearse our own rescue and intercede for those we once resented. Let repentance—yours or another’s—be a cue to worship. [05:50]
2. Mercy is God’s very nature Jonah names God as gracious, compassionate, patient, lavish in love, and prone to relent. That means mercy is not a loophole but the logic of God’s heart. If we believe this, we will approach Him boldly in our distress and hold our enemies open-handed before Him. Theology should tutor our emotions until gratitude becomes reflex. [10:18]
3. The Creator’s prerogative humbles pride “Is it right for you to be angry?” is not a rhetorical flourish; it is a summons to remember who is God and who is not. The plant, worm, and wind reveal a universe under appointment, not accident. When I bristle at His choices, I’m invited to surrender control and recover wonder. Humility is the doorway into alignment with His mercy. [22:25]
4. Expose comforts that eclipse people Jonah grieved a lost plant more than 120,000 image-bearers. That contrast is meant to sting us awake to our disordered loves. Ask what convenience, ideology, or tribe you defend more fiercely than your neighbor’s eternal good. Let God teach you to value what He values—people—over what soothes you. [31:31]
5. Praise God anyhow in mystery Faith matures when worship is no longer tethered to outcomes we understand. Choosing to bless God amid unanswered questions about His mercy is not denial; it’s allegiance to His revealed character. In time He may hand you breadcrumbs of hope, but even without them, His goodness holds. Obedience anchored in who He is steadies the soul. [38:31]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:55] - Lost repent; Jonah is angry
[03:55] - Running from, to, and with mercy
[05:50] - When revival should cause joy
[08:05] - Scripture points us to God
[10:18] - Mercy: God’s very character
[12:34] - Jonah’s protest and despair
[15:32] - Compassion in our deepest troubles
[19:49] - Christ and disaster averted
[22:25] - Creator’s right to extend mercy
[25:19] - Plant, worm, wind: God appoints
[31:31] - Caring for plant vs. people
[34:00] - Will we accept God’s mercy?
[36:38] - Choosing praise amid pain

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading (ESV)
Jonah 4:1–11
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."
4 And the LORD said, "Do you do well to be angry?"
5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.
6 Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.
7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.
8 And when the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."
9 But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."
10 And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night.
11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"

Observation questions (look closely at the text and sermon)

What is Jonah’s emotional response after Nineveh repents, and how does the sermon describe the contrast between Jonah’s reaction and the expected response to a city turning to God? [05:50]
Which words does Jonah use to describe God in verse 2, and how do those words explain why Jonah thought God would spare Nineveh? [10:18]
What sequence of events does God “appoint” in verses 6–8, and how does the sermon use those details to show God’s control over the situation? [25:19]
What question does God ask Jonah twice (vv. 4 and 9), and how does that question shift the focus from Jonah to God? [31:31]

Interpretation questions (seeking meaning; third-person objective)

How does Jonah’s knowledge of God’s character (gracious, merciful, slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love, relenting from disaster) explain both his initial flight and his later anger—what tension does that reveal about knowing doctrine but not having the heart to celebrate mercy? [10:18]
In what way does God’s action of appointing a plant, a worm, and a wind function as an argument to Jonah about Creator/creature perspective—what is God trying to teach about authority and humility? [22:25]
How does God’s question about Jonah’s care for the plant versus God’s care for Nineveh expose where Jonah’s loves are disordered, and what does that reveal about how God uses mercy to convict his people? [34:00]
Why does the sermon bring the pastor’s own story about his mother into the interpretation, and how does that illustration press on the question of praising God “anyhow” when mercy’s outcomes don’t match personal hopes? [36:38]

Application questions (personal, practical)

When was the last time you felt resentful or quietly angry because someone you considered undeserving received grace? Describe the situation and one specific prayer or action you could take this week to move from resentment toward intercession. [05:50]
Jonah knew God’s character but did not rejoice—what is one truth about God’s mercy you can rehearse this week (a short verse or sentence) so gratitude becomes your reflex in hard moments? How and when will you practice it? [10:18]
Can you identify a situation where you are tempted to say, “Who does God think he is?” (a control issue, a decision you disagree with, or an unanswered prayer)? What is one concrete step you will take this week to submit that area to God’s authority (a prayer, a Bible passage to memorize, or a conversation to have)? [22:25]
What comforts, conveniences, or identities (political tribe, ideology, social group, routine) do you protect more fiercely than you advocate for the spiritual good of others? Name one such comfort and one specific sacrifice or reorientation you will try for the next month to value people as God does. [31:31]
The sermon challenged listeners to “praise God anyhow” when outcomes are painful or unclear. Identify a loss or unanswered longing in your life right now. How will you practice praising God amid that mystery this week (a short worship song, a psalm, a spoken prayer, or a journal entry)? [38:31]
Who is one person you have resisted praying for because their choices offend you or threaten your sense of justice? Commit to pray for that person daily for one week and share with the group next time what changed in your heart toward them. [05:50]

(Use the Bible reading at the top as your shared text for discussion.)

Sermon Clips

``He didn't deserve to die. You and I deserved it. But he dies. He rises from the dead. And because of that, you and I have the opportunity for eternal life, for forgiveness, for restoration, for relationship with God. The disaster that was headed our way before Jesus Christ made his sacrifice and rose again, the disaster that was headed our way was, Scripture says, eternity separated from God. Eternity in hell. Now, a lot of people don't like talking about that, okay? All right. But this is what Scripture teaches us. This is vitally important that we understand that when Jonah says, you're the God who relents from sending disaster, in an eternal sense, this is every single human being having the opportunity to be with God or to be separated from him. [00:21:09] (63 seconds) #ResurrectionSaves

It's up to me and it's up to you as well to come to terms with the fact that he's the one who is in charge. He can do as he pleases and that includes extending mercy to people that we don't necessarily think deserve it. It's his right. And Jonah calls, Jonah finally is called on the carpet by the Lord even more. In a way, this final section here of the book kind of leaves us hanging. And the reason is because it's designed not about Jonah, but about each of us sort of coming to terms with how we feel about this. [00:32:53] (41 seconds) #SovereignMercy

The final few verses here of the book of Jonah are designed to show us where we've gone wrong. And this is another reason that God extends mercy because it shows us where we've gone wrong. And we all have. The Lord says to Jonah in verse 10, you cared about the plant which you did not labor over. You didn't make that plant. Yeah, you got mad when the plant died. You cared about the plant which you did not labor over and did not grow. It appeared in a night and perished in a night. [00:33:35] (35 seconds) #MercyRevealsUs

So if you can be so upset about the plant, may I not care about the great city of Nineveh, which has more than 120,000 people who cannot distinguish between their right and their left, as well as many animals. And what I want at the end of that question is I want Jonah's response. Don't you? It's like we're left hanging here. God says, you cared about the plant. Can't I care about the people? And we want Jonah to go, oh, you're totally right. I am so sorry. That is my bad. Now I repent like the Ninevites. I'm sorry. Like we're waiting to see. What is his reaction? [00:34:18] (51 seconds) #CompassionOverComplaint

We don't get Jonah's response because, again, it's not about Jonah. It's about who God is, the merciful God, and us coming to terms with his mercy. Yeah, we'll take his mercy. We're okay on that. But will we be okay with him extending mercy to others? Will we be okay with him choosing some and not others? And by that, I mean some are going to be with him forever, and some are going to be in hell forever. Are we okay with that? [00:35:20] (36 seconds) #WrestlingWithMercy

It allows us to see where our beliefs on his mercy are faulty. It allows us to see where we disagree with God and questions whether we have a right to disagree with God. It allows us to look at him and ask the question, are we willing to love you and honor you and praise you and obey you even if we disagree with your mercy? Are we willing to do that? Are we willing to follow him as the creator of the universe, the Almighty God, even if we don't understand it, even if we, in our weakness, disagree? Are we willing to do that? [00:35:56] (46 seconds) #FaithBeyondUnderstanding

If God's mercy was not received by this woman that I dearly love, if God didn't do what's necessary to grab hold of her heart and bring her into his kingdom, if he didn't do that, am I going to praise him anyhow? Am I going to obey? Am I going to love? Am I going to honor? Am I going to praise him as God? Am I going to do that? Or am I going to, a la Jonah, pout and get angry because I disagree with how he chooses to express his mercy? [00:37:25] (37 seconds) #PraiseDespiteLoss

We are arguing with what God does. We are saying, we know better. And in that moment, on that airplane, I just had to say, am I going to praise God anyhow? Or am I going to, at this moment, reject him because of how he chooses to express his mercy? Now, I said, and this is not like Cisco the hero story or whatever, but I was on the plane, and I just went, I have to praise you anyhow. Even if she's lost for eternity, I have to praise you anyhow, because you're gracious and compassionate and slow to anger and abounding in faithful love, and you relent from sending disaster. [00:38:11] (46 seconds) #PraiseOverRebellion

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