LENT 2020: Week 1, Day 2

• LENT 2020: Week 1, Day 2
• Thursday, February 27, 2020:
  Psalm 51; Jonah 3:1-10; Romans 1:1-7

When we think about the story of Jonah, the center of the story is Jonah himself. And for good reason. The story is told in such a way as to encourage that.

But today’s reading is a reminder that the story is also about Nineveh and its salvation. In fact, the salvation of Nineveh should be the focal point of the story. No one, least of all Jonah, expects the evil Ninevites to actually listen and heed the prophecy. It’s almost comical how repentant this pagan nation is. The king removes his robe, covers himself with sackcloth, and sits in ashes. And then he orders a national fast. Even the animals are to fast.

And God accepts their repentance. What a wonderfully surprising story! Right?

Wrong. Jonah hijacks the good news of Nineveh’s salvation and makes it a story about him.

We understand Jonah all too well, for all too often we insist that life be all about us. This is especially true of privileged people who are used to everything revolving around them. This is the very definition of  privilege. No wonder, then, that people all across our nation have been acting like Jonah, throwing temper tantrums at the very thought of not always being the center of attention. 

Sometimes, though, it’s just not about us. And today’s reading is not about Jonah. This is a story about the people of Nineveh and their salvation, and Jonah is but a supporting actor.

The Ninevites, like the Psalmist, repent. And in a striking turn, verse 10 tells us that “God relented from the evil that He said to do to them, and he did not do it.”

God changed God’s mind. And that’s some good news. 

Now if we can only go and do likewise.