God’s Concern

God’s Concern 

Jonah 4:11 - And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

The Book of Jonah revealed three important hearts.

The heart of the people. Here was a city that repented at the words of the prophet Jonah. 

  • Johan 3:8 - But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

In spite of their wicked ways, the humbled themselves and sought the Lord.

The heart of the prophet. He knew his calling. As a prophet, he must have known the role of the nation of Israel is to be the “light to the gentile”. He also knew the heart of God.

  • Jonah 4:2 - He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.

He was able to accurately articulate the compassion of God. He knew God was gracious. But he did not have God’s heart.

The heart of God. “Should I not be concerned for the lost.” 

  • Matthew 9:36 - Jesus looked at the crowds and "had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd."

God looks upon the lost in their brokenness, confusion, and helplessness, and His heart is stirred with compassion. Rather than responding with anger or frustration, He extends tender mercy toward them.

Sometimes we can get so caught up with the business of the world, the religiosity of being a Christian, that we loss focus on God’s chief concern. Like Jonah, we love the Lord, we are careful in performing all the rituals and requirements of daily living but one thing is needful. The heart of God.

Inst it true that many times we come so close to God in worship but fail to hear His heartbeat. We fail to see the lost or even if we do, we don’t have the concern.

"Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God." – Bob Pearce (the founder of World Vision)

God's concern is that every person would come to repentance and experience eternal life. 

2 Peter 3:9 -  "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise... He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

This shows God’s deep longing and concern for all people to turn to Him. 

There’s a world out there that need Jesus. Shouldn’t I have the same concern too?

 

"His last command, our first concern"

 

 

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