Wednesday, March 9, 2022                                       (today’s lectionary)
Sitting in Jonah’s shadow
This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.
I often find myself sitting on the hill overlooking Nineveh with Jonah. Together we will look down on the city, so awful and evil in Jonah’s sight, who is confused by God’s forgiveness. I don’t know what to say. I don’t say anything. Jonah is very involved with God – upset and angry, then grateful and still. I can’t figure out what’s next.
Sometimes I sit with him in the shade, and then when the quickly growing castor plant died, I sat with him sweating in the noonday sun, because the plant God provided has been taken away. Easy come, easy go. But Jonah takes all this far too seriously.
What’s wrong, Jonah? My head is buzzing with questions. Don’t you want these people to live?
Of course not, he’ll say. They should all be killed because they have killed others and insulted Yahweh. They have slandered others. They looked down their noses at God, rather than looking up and worshipping him.
Even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, for I am gracious and merciful.
We have no blanket to cover the hillside’s sand and dirt, and the sand is dry and hot. I reach down to shift positions, and the dirt crust crumbles. My hands give way, and my whole body slides down the hill. Jonah just looks at me. I rearrange myself. Beads of sweat get in my eyes, and I wipe them away. Insects buzz. They are drinking our blood.
I stand up and walk around, walk in circles around Jonah, who sits rooted to his spot. He hasn’t moved for hours. So Jonah, what are we going to do now? God doesn’t seem to be changing his mind, but he’s sure trying to change yours. I’ve been sitting here with you for awhile. Should we take a walk? Should I just leave you and fend for myself? I worry about you, Jonah. I really do. I want to help.
When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them. He did not carry it out.
Jonah looks up at me. He looks past me at the blinding blue sky, and he sees God, I think. He speaks more to God than to me.
I’m kind of stuck here, Lord. I can’t go forward and I can’t go back. Nobody can help, not really. I’m in this to the end with you, God. That’s what happens to your prophets, isn’t it? You seduced me, and I was seduced. You’ve shown me just enough to be dangerous.
Dangerous to myself, at least. Can we just make an end to this?
I think of Elijah, full of self-pity. I think of Jeremiah, angry at God but stuck with him. The prophets never say, “I got myself into this mess.” But they certainly aim those words at God. And God sides with Nineveh!
At the judgment the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation and condemn it, because at the preaching of Jonah they repented, and there is something greater than Jonah here.
Jonah’s sigh rises up and crests the hill. Neither of us can stop sweating. I stand up and take his hand, pull him on his feet. We look down at the city. He sighs again. I can’t tell what is sweat and what are tears.
Cast me not away from your presence, take not your Holy Spirit from me.
(Jonah 3, Psalm 51, Joel 2, Luke 11)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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