Jonah 3:10-4:11
10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.
1 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 3 Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”
4 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”
5 Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant[a] 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. 7 But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
9 But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
10 But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

The story of Jonah is not a children’s story to be sanitized. It is a deep reflection on how we respond to God’s grace.

God’s grace is awesome.

“Grace is an undeserved gift from an unobligated giver.”- Tim Keller

The gospel is founded in this definition of grace. We do not deserve God’s gift of Jesus dying for us, nor did the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit have to give us that gift.

God’s grace is bothersome.

God’s character is consistent throughout the scriptures. (Exodus 34:6)

God’s grace can be challenging and even bothersome for us when we realize it’s for all people.

God’s grace is relentless.

God pursued Jonah in his grace no matter how hard Jonah ran from or raged against God.

God will not let us forget what grace really is.