Jonah 4:6-11
6 And the Lord God appointed a plant,[a] and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.[b] 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm which attacked the plant,[c] so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a sultry east wind, and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah so that he was faint; and he asked that he might die, and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?”[d] And he said, “I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant,[e] for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night, and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nin′eveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?
Prayer
God of plants, animals, people, and me, teach me how to be more generous. As I read the story of Jonah, I sense the sadness of selfishness and self-centeredness. Save me from that in my own life. And yet, as I finish the story of Jonah, I am hopeful that he lived the rest of his life reflecting the generosity and grace that you showed, in your pity for him with the plant, the people of Nineveh (all 120,000) and all the cows. You were generous to Jonah and all with your love. I know you are generous to me. Let me live by sharing your love more freely with every part of your creation that I encounter today. I pray in your holy name. Amen.