Love Without Limits

A meditation...

The Prophet Jonah before the Walls of Nineveh, drawing by Rembrandt, ca. 1655

Into The Blue is about finding joy in simple pleasures. One of those pleasures is God.

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 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. Now, LORD, take my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

But the LORD replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

Jonah 4:1-4

The little book of Jonah might be the most subversive thing ever written. We all know the part about Jonah getting swallowed by a big fish, and we spend all our time arguing about whether such a thing is possible. We are like little kids clustered around the soccer ball, the wrong soccer ball. The fish is hardly the centerpiece.

The focus is Jonah himself, the most wily and reluctant prophet ever. I encourage you to take 15 minutes and read the book for yourself. It is only four chapters. This is a literary and comedic masterpiece, and the spiritual implications are next level. Here we are 2,800 years later, and if you looked at the news this morning, you know we have made absolutely no progress in living out the calling of this book. We are all Jonah.

Here is the gist. God tells Jonah to go to the capital of Israel’s cruel archenemy Assyria, Nineveh (near Mosul in contemporary Iraq), and preach fire and brimstone. Like all good Israelites, Jonah hates the Assyrians with a passion. So, instead of warning them of God’s impending wrath for their wickedness, he gets on a boat and tries to get as far from Nineveh as possible.

But of course, there is no outrunning God. By hook or by crook, Jonah is going to Nineveh to do God’s bidding. Thus, the fish. So, Jonah goes and announces God’s judgment. And guess what? The Ninevites, who have their own gods and don’t even believe in the Lord, listen. From the king on down, they repent and beg the Lord to forgive them. And guess what? He does. Why? Because God is love.

Isn’t that wonderful? No, Jonah is hopping mad. He wants the Assyrians to burn. They’re the bad guys. They deserve it. He doesn’t want to go home in shame as the guy who saved the enemy. Nobody is buying Jonah a round at the pub, believe me.

Jonah is so upset he asks God to just strike him down right there. He knew God would spare Nineveh. Because he knew who God is. He is full of grace and compassion, slow to anger, abounding in love, quick to forgive. The Lord is that way with everyone, without distinction—even you. Jonah loved that about the Lord, but only up to a point. It was awesome that God treated Jonah’s people like that, but unacceptable beyond that.

We are tempted to judge Jonah, but don’t do it. We haven’t lived Jonah’s life. We don’t know the Assyrians. They never raped and killed our neighbors and friends the way they did to Jonah’s people. They never threatened to wipe out our nation.

No, if you want to understand Jonah, think about your enemies. Who do you despise? Be honest. The Chinese? The Republicans? The guy who cut you off? The pedophile? The person who betrayed you? Your boss? That woman who ripped you off? Stop and think. Who absolutely doesn’t deserve God’s mercy? When you can feel the anger, it is time to listen to God.

And consider this. There is someone down the street, someone on Facebook, someone who supports the other political party, someone in Tehran whose child was killed in an airstrike, someone who is certain that you do not deserve God’s grace. And maybe they’re right. When you can feel the anger, it is time to listen to God.

Here is the amazing thing. The Lord doesn’t love us because we deserve it. He loves us because that is who he is. He loves without limits. His hand is always outstretched to us.

And here’s the hard part. He calls us to love the same way. This is the way of peace. This is the way that transforms. This is the way.

Jesus taught, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous… Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:43-45, 48)

This is the Jesus who hung on the cross and prayed for his crucifiers, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

The Lord’s question still hangs in the air. Is it right for you to be angry?