Jonah: When Our Hearts Drift from God's

Jonah sermon series

    Have you ever felt like your heart was a bit... off? Not in a physical sense, but emotionally or spiritually? We often talk about being "in sync" with someone, meaning we understand each other, our thoughts and feelings align. But what about being in sync with God? What does that look like? How can we tell if we our lives are aligned with God's will? How can we know that our attitudes and behavior is in perfect alignment with the Creator? 

    The great 19th-century preacher Charles Spurgeon, in his sermon "Jonah's Downhill Course," paints a vivid picture of this spiritual drift. He doesn't hold back, saying, "I do not know of any chapter in the whole Bible where there is more conspicuously displayed the contrast between the human and the divine, between man's heart and God's heart, than in the story of Jonah." Spurgeon highlights how Jonah's actions and attitudes were a stark contrast to God's character. It's a powerful reminder that even those who know God can find their hearts wandering.

    Think of it like this: Imagine a symphony orchestra. When all the instruments are playing in harmony, the music is beautiful and moving. But if one instrument is out of tune, or if one instrument is playing off beat, it can disrupt the entire performance. Personally it causes me to cringe and I feel a since of discomfort.  

    In the same way, when our hearts are out of sync with God's, our lives can become discordant and we can miss the beauty He intends in and through our lives. The book of Jonah provides a powerful example of this, showing us the contrast between Jonah's heart and God's.

Jonah 4:1-3 (ESV):

But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 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. Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

    In these few verses, we see Jonah's reaction to God's mercy on Nineveh, and it's not pretty. It wasn't joy or relief, but anger and displeasure. Which to be honest is crazy right? 

    This reveals a profound disconnect between Jonah's heart and the heart of God.  As Jonah begins praying to God he reveals his correct understanding of the character of God. God is indeed Gracious, Merciful, slow to anger, abounding in stead fast love, and relenting from disaster. You get an A+ in Theology Jonah. Yet we see that what Jonah says is in the context of is immense displeasure of what God did. It would seem that the claims Jonah makes about God are not true for himself.

The Heart of the Matter: Jonah vs. God

    Jonah's story isn't just about a prophet who ran away. It's about a heart that, at least temporarily, veered sharply away from God's. In fact as you read the book of Jonah you almost get a sense that the main audience that God is wanting to reach was not the people of Nineveh but instead Jonah and by extension the nation of Israel.

     Let's look at five key contrasts, focusing on Jonah's attitude in chapter 4, verses 1-3:

    Gracious vs. Harsh: God is repeatedly described as gracious (Exodus 34:6). He desires to give good gifts, even to those who don't deserve them. Jonah, however, displays a harshness of spirit. He doesn't want the Ninevites to receive God's grace; he wants them to face judgment. In Jonah 4:2, he essentially complains that God is too gracious. For Jonah God's grace was perfectly fine when he was in the belly of a whale. Yet Jonah did not want that grace to be extended to these people who deemed unworthy and undeserving of God's grace. 

    We can be like Jonah when we find it hard to forgive, or when we are quick to anger. Have you ever been stuck in traffic, and someone cuts you off? Your immediate reaction might be anger and a desire for them to get what they deserve. I know I have often said things like "Where is a cop when you need them" or "I hope they get caught and have to pay a ticket" Or maybe you hear a vicious rumor's about someone you don't like and because you don't like them you immediately believe it. In fact secretly you hope its true and you might even spread the rumor to others. That's Jonah-like harshness. 

    God's grace should lead us to pray for that person, recognizing they might be having a bad day. God's grace should lead us to desire the best instead of the worst. When we mess up do we not want others to show us grace? When false rumors about us are going around. Or even when what is being shared about us is embarrassingly true. Don't we desire grace? Don't we desire for others to be gracious towards us? If that is true and I believe that it is, then should we not extend the grace we would want to others? Should we not extend the grace we have received from God to those around us as well. 

    Merciful vs. Judgmental: God is the epitome of mercy, desiring that none should perish (2 Peter 3:9). He withholds punishment and offers us a multitude of opportunities for us to seek repentance. Every day you are alive is another example of God's Merciful nature. Every moment that we are not receiving what we deserve yet another proof of God's mercy toward you. 

    

    Jonah, in contrast, is judgmental. He focuses on the wickedness of Nineveh and wants them punished, not offered a way out. His anger in chapter 4 shows he believed they deserved destruction. His anger toward God is focused on that idea that God is letting these people off the hook, something that Jonah adamantly disagrees with. 

    We can be judgmental when we write people off because of their past mistakes or current struggles. When we give up on people thinking that they cannot turn their lives around. When we relish at other's miss fortune thinking that they are getting exactly what they deserve. Or when we like Jonah, recoil when we see others who we have deemed deserving of punishment and pain, are instead rewarded and blessed. 

    Slow to Anger (Patient) vs. Impatient: God is described as "slow to anger" (Psalm 103:8). He is patient, giving people time to turn back to Him. How many times have you had to learn and relearn a lesson God had been teaching you. How many times have you struggled over some sin in your life that seems to be something you constantly go back to? How long has it taken for you to get to this place in your journey with God? God is patient with you and me time after time. 

    In contrast look at Jonah he is very much impatient. He wants God to act quickly and decisively in punishing Nineveh. He can't wait to see their destruction and demise. He is like a wolf salivating over his prey. In fact truth be told, this city's destruction might have been one of the very things that Jonah was holding on too. He may have thought that perhaps these people would not repent and that God would destroy these people once and for all. His anger at God's patience in chapter 4 highlights his own impatience. 

    We show impatience when we get frustrated with God's timing. How many times do we wish for peoples hearts to change. We pray, we try to talk some since in them and it seems like they don't get it. How many times do we see someone come to Christ and yet they still have the stench of their old nature on them. Over time we get frustrated that their spiritual growth is not happening as fast as we would like and we end up giving up on them. Lets face it we like Jonah at times don't exhibit the patients that God has shown us. 

    Abounding in Love vs. Unloving: God's love is boundless (Ephesians 3:17-19). He loves even His enemies (Matthew 5:44). He has shown you love in a number of different ways.  Take a little pause right now and look around you. Look at all of the things you currently have. Think about your home, you car, the food you eat, and the money you have. Yet look past all that. Are there not people who God has placed in your life. You parents, your siblings, your spouse, and even your friends. These are all wonderful examples of the many ways God has extended his love for you. From the Air you breath, to the clothes on your back. God loves you. 

       Yet all of those things are insignificant compared to God's greatest example of His love towards you. Of course what I am talking about is salvation. God loved you so much that he came to die in your place. To die for all the sins you have committed in your life. He willingly bleed and died on the cross all so that you might be saved. "For God so LOVED the world (ALL OF US) that whosoever (THATS YOU) should not perish, but have eternal life" - John 3:16 

    Jonah's love, however, is limited and conditional. He struggles to extend love to the Ninevites, viewing them as undeserving of God's affection. He views people as animals or some wild rabid beast that must be put down. His anger in Jonah 4 reveals a lack of love for those God loves. 

  We too can be unloving when we withhold forgiveness or refuse to show compassion to those we find difficult. When we live with the idea of Us verses Them mentality. Humanity should not be divided, yet time and again we often are. We live and die by our divisions. From our socioeconomic status, to our political affiliation, to even what side of the community we live on; we naturally seek division. These various divisions causes us to become blind to others intrinsic value and worth.  It leads us to behave and act in ways that are contrary to the loving nature of God. 

    Relenting from Disaster (Forgiving) vs. Holding a Grudge (Unforgiving): God is quick to forgive (Psalm 86:5). He relents from sending disaster when people repent. Despite popular belief, God takes no delight in the pain and punishment of others. His desire is for us to be forgiven and saved. 

    Jonah, however, seems to hold a grudge against the Ninevites. He is angry that God forgives them, as we see in Jonah 4. He would rather see them destroyed than forgiven. 

    We hold a grudge when we refuse to let go of past hurts and forgive those who have wronged us. When we absolutely refuse to accept or even acknowledge someone's genuine repentance. Even when we say we forgive them, yet we always keep watching hoping to be proven right that they indeed have not changed. So often we don't desire reconciliation when we have been wronged. Instead we desire blood, we do not reconciliation we want revenge. 

Practical Application: Tuning Our Hearts to God's

So, how do we make sure our hearts are in sync with God's? Here are a few practical steps:

1. Regular Heart Check-ups: Just like we go to the doctor for physical check-ups, we need to regularly examine our hearts. Ask yourself: Am I being gracious, merciful, patient, loving, and forgiving? Where am I falling short? The Holy Spirit can help us see these areas.

2. Immerse Yourself in God's Word: The Bible reveals God's heart and it has a way of exposing our own. The more we read it, the more we understand His character and the more our hearts will be transformed and in tune with His. Pay close attention to the attributes of God described in places like Exodus 34:6-7 and Psalm 103.

3. Pray for God's Perspective: Ask God to help you see others as He sees them. Pray for those you find it difficult to love or forgive. Ask Him to soften your heart and increase your capacity for compassion.

    The story of Jonah is a powerful reminder that our hearts can sometimes drift away from God's. In Jonah 4:1-3, we see Jonah's heart was far from God's. But it's also a story of God's incredible patience and grace. He doesn't give up on us when we go astray. He gently leads us back to Himself, helping us to align our hearts with His. May we all strive to have hearts that reflect the very character of God.