Relentless Love: Reflections on the Book of Jonahಮಾದರಿ

Running from God’s Call

This week, we'll be walking through the book of Jonah together. Jonah’s story begins with a divine call and a desperate escape. Asked to preach to the violent, hated people of Nineveh, Jonah runs in the opposite direction—toward Tarshish, the end of the known world. His response may seem cowardly or defiant, but it’s deeply human. He found it too hard to accept God’s mercy toward people he despised.

Jesus shows us God’s heart in the Great Commandment: love God fully and love our neighbor as ourselves. That isn’t always easy. Yet Jesus models a love that is unconditional and sacrificial. Jonah’s story reminds us that God pursues the lost, even those we consider undeserving. His reluctance highlights our prejudice, but God’s relentless grace offers a new perspective. As we face the brokenness in our world, we are called to embody God’s love, offering reconciliation and extending grace—even to those we find hardest to love.

Response Questions

1. What does it mean to you that, as children of Abraham, we are called to be a blessing to all peoples on earth?
2. Are you ever resistant to God’s call? What might be some reasons for that?
3. Who is the Lord calling you to love today?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, open our hearts and minds so that we may become aware of how to reach out to others with your message of love, justice, and reconciliation. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.

Reach Your Neighbor

Who has inspired you by their response to the call of God to share God’s message of reconciliation? Contact that person today to set up a time to hear the story of that call and how they responded to it.

About the Author

Christina Burrows is an ordained minister, spiritual director, and coach in the Evangelical Covenant Church.