Extended Mercy and Grace

“Some souls think that the Holy Spirit is very far away,
far, far, up above.
Actually he is, we might say,
the divine Person who is
most closely present to the creature.
He accompanies him everywhere.
He penetrates him with himself.
He calls him, he protects him.
He makes of him his living temple.
He defends him. He helps him.
He guards him from all his enemies.
He is closer to him than his own soul.
All the good a soul accomplishes,
it carries out under his inspiration,
in his light, by his grace and his help.
Concepcion Cabrera de Armida

Extended Mercy and Grace:

When you think of the prophets of the Bible, most likely the names that come to mind are Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Isaiah. All of these were used greatly by God, and brought the truth of God’s Word to a rebellious people, who refused to listen. However, one prophet stands out as being probably the most effective in bringing people to repentance (with the acknowledgement that it is God’s Word that is the reason for any prophet’s success.) Jonah was one of the most “successful” prophets in the Bible.
Yes, at first he tried to run away from the responsibility of heeding God’s call to go to Nineveh… and then there was that incident of being cast off the ship… and… Oh yes there was that little problem with a big fish. These thing aside, once Jonah got it together and found himself spewed out on the shores of Nineveh (can you imagine how his clothes smelled after three days in the bile of a huge fish [in my personal opinion probably a whale shark]? After all of that, he relented and delivered God’s reprimand; and the result was a huge success! Instead of stoning him, cursing him, attempting to throw him in a cistern, sawing him in half, or any number of things that happened to most of God’s prophets… believe it or not the people of Nineveh listened… they repented of their sin… and all of them, that’s right all of them… every one from the king to the lowliest servant responded to Jonah’s message for God. My, you would think that he would have been rejoicing and overwhelmed at how God had used him.
But not this prophet… nope! Jonah actually had the chutzpah to be angry with God for His compassion, mercy and forgiveness of the people.
He complained to God that he was too gracious and compassionate… slow to anger and abounding in love… (see Jonah 4:2) It seems Jonah wanted God to take a pound of flesh out of these sinful Ninevites, he wanted God to destroy the city, he wanted those sinful ones to get the punishment they so richly deserved! He was annoyed that God seemed destined to give these sinners a second chance. Somehow Jonah had forgotten about the love and compassion God had just exercised in his own life.
Before we go off on poor Jonah, we had better take a look inside our own hearts. When was the last time we were quick to judge a brother, sister or some unbeliever for the obvious sin in their lives? Do we sometimes espouse our desire for them to repent, while we harbor a little desire to see them fall into judgment?
If we do, it is to our shame. Having been recipients of God’s unmerited grace and mercy we ought to be quick to desire others to come to repentance and restoration in the same manner.

1Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass,
you who are spiritual,
restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness;
each one looking to yourself,
so that you too will not be tempted.
Galatians 6:1 NASB

30
fkj