This post is Day 26 in a series of studies about “Jonah”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

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Jonah – Day 26

It seems to me that Jonah was the centre of his world, and his moods changed according to his circumstances. Do yours? Being a Christian is to live like Jesus did, He did not seem to have bad moods, and He is renowned for living for others instead of himself.

Jonah 4:6

Then the LORD God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine.

The Thought

The strange story of God providing the plant for shade takes us almost to the end of what we know about Jonah. Very little is said about him anywhere else in the Bible. Only Jesus mentions him and his three days inside the fish, suggesting that maybe Jonah even died for those three days symbolizing the time Jesus would spend dead in His tomb (Luke 11:29-31).

We have no idea what sort of plant the Lord provided, but it must have been quite a substantial one if it provided better shade than the makeshift shelter Jonah had built for himself. God always provides bigger and better than we can do ourselves!

As Jonah could finally see something good that God was doing for him, he had a complete change of mood. No longer the sulking child, but now he became the spoilt child! What a forgiving Father he served!

It seems to me that Jonah was the centre of Jonah’s world, and his moods changed according to his circumstances. Do yours? One of the aims of being a Christian is to live like Jesus did, He didn’t seem to have bad moods, and He is renowned for living for others instead of himself. Do you?

Action

Ask yourself today how much you focus on your own needs and desires. Confess any extremes.

Praise Jesus for His peace which is available for each one of us at any time. Praise Him that He is the Prince of Peace and gives you His peace to help you through difficult circumstances.

Pray for any people that you know who have unhelpful mood changes. Ask for peace for them.

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