A Detailed Plan

I was in High School and discussing the mysteries of the Universe with my friends. It was an interesting discussion because we had all heard different theories and we were comparing notes. One boy spoke with more authority than the rest of us his because brother was in seminary. He explained to us that the world was like a big clock that God wound up. After God set things in motion he stepped out of the picture and was just going to watch to see how things turned out.

This picture of an indifferent God was interesting to me but not comforting. Was my friend right? Was I along with all of creation left to chance? How did what I believe about God's caring or not caring affect anything anyway? As I thought about this I realized my belief about the nature of God was foundational not only in the way I viewed the world but also in the way I saw myself.

When I read the book of the book Jonah I saw a very different picture of God than the clockwork God my friend had told me about. In Jonah I found a God who had boundless compassion for the people He had created. Not just compassion on the Jew's who were considered His chosen people but also on the pagan sailors and the Ninevites. In this story of redemption and compassion God used all of His creation to carry out His plan.

The story of Jonah is full of divine appointments. First, God appointed His prophet Jonah to go to his enemies the Ninevites. Next, God appointed a storm to get Jonah's attention when Jonah had decided to go in a direction dirrent from God's. God appoint a great fish to keep Jonah from drowning and give him time to think about the direction he was headed. God appointed a plant to grow and give Jonah shade and save him from discomfort, while Jonah was waiting for God to destroy Nineveh. Finally, God appointed a worm to attack the plant and make it wither. This made Jonah very angry. God used it as an illustration that although Jonah had compassion on the plant because it gave him comfort from the heat he had no compassion on the city of Nineveh.

Lord Jesus, in this story of the redemptive love of God I see a picture of You. "For God so loved the world, that he sent his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God didn't send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." John 3:16,17 Thank you for not being an indifferent God but a God of love and compassion. When I see my life reflected in your love it has meaning.



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