In reading the book of Jonah, you will come across the prophet Jonah getting angry. What was he angry about? He was angry with God and the dead vine. God had spared His judgement on the city of Nineveh when they repented and God had sent a worm to eat up the vine that provide shade for him. He was so angry that he wanted to die! Imagine getting angry and showing your disapproval to the God who is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. I would personally find it hard to get angry with someone like this! But had Jonah got a right to be angry with God? (4:4,9) God had saved his life earlier from drowning. But the saving of the more than 120,000 people in the city did not seem to matter to him. They were just foreigners - wicked enemies of his people. But both acts of salvation came by God's grace. Jonah deserved to die for his sin of disobedience and the Ninevites deserved judgment too. How amazing the grace of God is! Isn't this what the gospel of Jesus Christ all about? We all don't deserved it.
What makes you angry? Is your anger on something that really matters? Like the souls of people or acts of injustice. Or is it merely to blow your top in frustration and feed your prejudices and pride? The next time you get angry, stop and take a look at the grace of God in your life. Let His abounding love and mercy fill your hearts. Then you know what the power of His resurrection means in your life! It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me (Gal. 2:20)
Ps Ben
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