Old Testament | Jonah 3:10-4:10 (with Nick Locke)

Opening Song:
O Lord, open our lips and our mouths will declare Your praise.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end,
Amen.

The Scripture for today is Jonah 3:10-4:11.

Let’s prepare our hearts to hear from God’s word as we listen to Steadfast Love by Robbie Seay and Shane Barnard. The verse’s melody gradually ascends higher with each line, gaining intensity in an emotional cry. In contrast, the chorus remains more static, a representation of the steadfastness of the Lord’s love regardless of our sin or our doubts.
Lyrics:

When fear's so overwhelming
I can feel it in my skin
And the bitterness of losing faith
Like poison on my lips
When life feels like a never ending
Weight upon my soul
Oh I need You oh Lord

Your steadfast love never ceases
Your goodness God
Calling me to rest
Your mercy just when I need it
How great is Your faithfulness

The weight of every sin
Is closing in on human bones
As the Son of God was dreaming about
What tomorrow holds
The night so overwhelming
Blood and water start to flow
Not my will oh but Yours
Bridge
I'll sing the song
Of the wounded One
Oh not my will
Father Yours be done
In Your mercy
You have wounded me
And by Your wounds
Jesus I am healed
Oh by Your wounds
Jesus I am healed

How great is Your faithfulness
How great is Your faithfulness

Passage:
10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 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. 3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the LORD said, “Do you do well to be angry?”
5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the LORD said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
(Jonah 3:10–4:11 ESV)

Musical Reflection:

Jesus, Remember Me by Jacques Berthier

Reflection Notes:
“Jesus, Remember Me” is a tune from the French Taizé tradition; these simple songs are meant to be repeated indefinitely with added instrumentation or voice parts. They are meant to be meditative and allow for prayer.

Prayer:
Father, what we know not, teach us; what we have not, give us; what we are not, make us; for the sake of your Son our Savior. Amen.
-Old Anglican Prayer