(Jonah ch 1-  ch 4:4) 

Jonah was commissioned by God to bring a message of judgement to Nineveh, the capital of Assyria - Israel’s worst enemy. Unwilling to obey God’s command, he boarded a ship to escape to Tarshish. God sent a mighty tempest, for the sailors to throw him overboard like jetsam and save their own lives. God then directed a big fish to swallow him. After three days and three nights in its belly, God commanded the fish to vomit him on dry land. Now Jonah having got a second chance to obey God, duly preached the message of judgement in just eight words – ‘Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown’. 

To Jonah’s bewilderment, the entire city (from the king to the least citizen) repented of its evil ways. When God saw this, He changed His mind and spared the city from destruction. Jonah was mortified because God refrained from destroying Nineveh - as a result of which his reputation as a true prophet was tarnished. He became so angry with God that he was even prepared to die. 

 Jonah felt that by serving God, he was entitled for a better reputation among the people but God had made him look like a fool in Nineveh!  Entitlement can bring about envy / jealousy in  every Christian as he feels that he deserves to receive more from God. 

Here is a fine example of a sportsman I loved very much during my school days, who spoke on entitlement - Arthur Ashe won the Wimbledon championship at a time when dark skinned players were dishonoured. When he was diagnosed with AIDS, (due to transfusion of HIV infected blood), the whole world questioned him as to why God allowed this. Arthur replied, “When I held that cup in my hands in Wimbledon, I never asked God – why me then? Even now I can’t question Him, as I’m not entitled for anything special but only His grace! 

Thought for the day: 

We are not entitled to expect anything special from God just because we are saved. We are called to be good stewards of His grace.