我在神学院学习时，我们有一位敬拜带领者，他经常在我们祷告时间开始时说：“神啊，我们感谢你，你是神，我们不是。”作为一个敬拜共同体，这帮助我们认识到，如果由我们来负责做出具有永恒后果的决定，我们是靠不住的。我们太短视了，会被自己的私心分散注意力。
好在约拿没有被允许发号施令。神曾呼召他去警告尼尼微人为他们的恶行悔改，但约拿并不希望他们悔改；他想让神毁灭他们。他们是以色列的敌人，约拿不希望神给予他们怜悯。约拿还没有认识到：神可以钟爱、饶恕和赐福任何人。
长出的叶子植物可能是一种蓖麻油灌木，可以迅速长到12英尺，用它宽大、阴凉的叶子使人舒畅快活。但神突然使这株植物枯萎了，这是多么奇怪的转折啊!
约拿的反应暴露了自己的私心，神也暴露了约拿的浅薄。约拿其实更关心植物带来的荫凉，胜过关心尼尼微百姓的命运。然而，主却显出了祂的怜悯和恩典。
难道你不因着神是神，祂对我们施行怜悯而高兴欢喜吗？
主我们的神，只有你能决定事情的走向。求你教导我们成为你怜悯和恩典的管道，成为他人的祝福。奉耶稣的名，阿们。
约拿书 4
1这事约拿大大不悦，且甚发怒，
2就祷告耶和华说：“耶和华啊，我在本国的时候，岂不是这样说吗？我知道你是有恩典有怜悯的神，不轻易发怒，有丰盛的慈爱，并且后悔不降所说的灾，所以我急速逃往他施去。
3耶和华啊，现在求你取我的命吧！因为我死了比活着还好。”
4耶和华说：“你这样发怒合乎理吗？”
5于是约拿出城，坐在城的东边，在那里为自己搭了一座棚，坐在棚的荫下，要看看那城究竟如何。
6耶和华神安排一棵蓖麻，使其发生高过约拿，影儿遮盖他的头，救他脱离苦楚。约拿因这棵蓖麻大大喜乐。
7次日黎明，神却安排一条虫子咬这蓖麻，以致枯槁。
8日头出来的时候，神安排炎热的东风，日头曝晒约拿的头，使他发昏。他就为自己求死，说：“我死了比活着还好！”
9神对约拿说：“你因这棵蓖麻发怒合乎理吗？”他说：“我发怒以至于死，都合乎理。”
10耶和华说：“这蓖麻不是你栽种的，也不是你培养的，一夜发生，一夜干死，你尚且爱惜，
11何况这尼尼微大城，其中不能分辨左手右手的有十二万多人，并有许多牲畜，我岂能不爱惜呢？”
"The LORD God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant." - Jonah 1:6
When I was studying in seminary, we had a worship leader who frequently began our time of prayer together with the words, "O God, we thank you that you are God and that we are not." As a worshiping community, it helped us to recognize that if we were in charge of making decisions with eternal consequences, we couldn't be relied upon. We are too shortsighted and distracted by our own self-interests.
It's a good thing that Jonah wasn't allowed to call all the shots. God had called him to warn Nineveh to repent of their wickedness, but Jonah did not want them to repent. He wanted God to destroy them instead. They were Israel's enemies, and Jonah did not want God to show compassion toward them. Jonah had not yet learned that God can pursue, forgive, and bless anyone.
The leafy plant that grew might have been a castor-oil shrub that can quickly grow up to 12 feet and bring relief with its broad, shady leaves. But what a strange turn of events it was when God caused the plant to wither!
Jonah's reactions revealed his own selfish concerns, and God exposed Jonah's shallowness. Jonah actually cared more about shade from the plant than he cared about the people of Nineveh. The Lord, however, showed mercy and grace.
Aren't you glad that God is God and that he shows mercy to us too?
Lord our God, you alone can determine the way things should go. Teach us to be conduits of your mercy and grace for others. For Jesus' sake, Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
