Mar. 7, 2014 Psalm
51
Friday Jonah
4:1-11
Romans
1:8-17
“It’s not fair” is the cry of
Jonah. How often have we heard or
thought these words? We want our kids
to play fair; we want to be treated fair and we want our world to play by the
rules of fairness. Fairness
implies equality, at least in the sense of everyone getting what they deserve -
the good get good things and the bad - well, you know what we think they
deserve.
Yet, God is not a God of
fairness. For what is fair about
forgiveness for the people of Ninevah (present day Mosul, Iraq)? The Assyrians had ruthlessly
attacked and conquered the people of Israel. There is no way that Jonah wanted forgiveness for those that
were his sworn enemies. How could
God even ask him to do this?
This is how God calls us to live in
relationship with one another, not in fairness, but in graciousness. Jesus is
not about being fair, but being gracious and merciful. For what was fair about Jesus’ death on
the cross?! Christ does not give
us what we deserve, but what will bring us the fullness of life. Jesus loves and forgives us though
undeserving. And we are called to
be disciples and follow the path of grace and mercy that has been set before
us. Do we not pray “forgive us our
trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”? Let us live a life of grace.
Prayer: Use Psalm 51
Pastor Jen Boyd
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