Burning by Andy Carruthers
Cover: Aaron Hughs
I heard a terrible story on the news a while back. A man had speared another man in the eye with the nose of his board. This sounds like a horrific surfing accident, unfortunately the truth was far worse. These two men had had a minor altercation in the surf over a wave, a drop in had occurred. Months later the guy saw the other and paddled up to him and proclaimed, ‘do you remember me?’ He then thrust the nose of his board into the other surfers face and came within millimetres of removing his eye. I am amazed that this angry surfers rage had simmered for that long. Left unabated to the point where he was willing to physically injure another over a wave. Sometimes anger unaddressed can burn in our bones waiting to explode. Anger isn't wrong its how we deal with it and express it that can be either appropriate or grossly inappropriate.
Seems crazy doesn’t it… Here in the final verses of Jonah we see Jonah’s rage spill over at God… 4:9 … Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die. The question that provokes this response is God asking, Do you do well to be angry. Jonah do you have a right to be angry here and now?
Remember that Jonah want’s what he believes is justice served upon the Ninevites' and blessing bestowed upon his people. Jonah had built his life on a foundation of obedience to the law. To him it was out of the question, beyond comprehension that a nation that offered no such obedience to Gods moral code should be blessed by him.
Paul summarises this in Rom 9:30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written, Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.
In a world that seeks salvation through the security offered by systems, religious rites and rules, God’s people are those who resist creating security and salvation in anything other than God’s grace.
God’s question to Jonah seeks the root cause of his anger and resistance to partner with Gods mercy and grace. Do you do well to be angry? Jonah is not angry about Nineveh he’s not even really angry about the plant… Jonah’s anger is rooted in his resistance to change. He wants God to change and fit into his beliefs. Jonah is not willing to move with God.
Underlying this whole chapter is the assumption that Jonah has the capacity to partner with Gods great grace, he can share in Gods pity and love for the lost. Jonah knew God but had failed miserably at working out the implications of that knowledge, both in his mind and his actions. God reminds Jonah that he has not laboured for the plant, it had been a gift from God. vs10
God’s persistent and patient pursuing of Jonah and his questions to him show us his great compassion and pity for the religious heart of man.
Jonah’s reaction to Gods dealings with Nineveh bring into focus the difficulty of repentance for religious people. The book ensues a conversation between God and Jonah concerning the heart of Gods good news of deliverance for all and the outrageous dilemma of grace. This conversation continued into Jesus days with the Pharisees and continues into our days as people still struggle to love others and fear God: not fear others and love a god of there own making.
God doesn’t want Jonah’s burning anger; he wants Jonah to partner with His burning love for the lost.
If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshipping an idealised version of yourself. Keller
* There is hope for even the most reluctant of us God can use even reluctant prophets.
* Do you try to fit God into a box of your own understanding?
If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. Lao Tzu
A puritan is a person who pours righteous indignation into the wrong things. G.K. Chesterton
The first thing to understand about anger is that it isn't always a bad thing. Many people, especially Christians, have the mistaken notion that anger is intrinsically evil. As a result, they feel needless guilt. The idea that a Christian is never allowed to be angry is a demonic myth that tends to produce neurotic anxiety. I've had to struggle with this myth nearly all my life. R. C. Sproul
Anger is not in itself sinful, but...it may be the occasion for sin. The issue of self-control is the question of how we deal with anger. Violence, tantrums, bitterness, resentment, hostility, and even withdrawn silence are all sinful responses to anger. R. C. Sproul
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Andy planted the SALT Life Community church, is the Chaplain to the World Longboard Tour and is a well-published Surf Photographer and Writer with articles across multiple magazines and newspapers.