What's New at Cross Reference Library - Overcomer, Devotionals, and New Books for Kids

Library 031320 2.jpg

Life changes overnight for coach John Harrison when his high school basketball team’s state championship dreams are crushed under the weight of unexpected news. When the largest manufacturing plant in town suddenly shuts down and hundreds of families begin moving away, John must come to grips with the challenges facing his family and his team. Urged by the school’s principal to fill-in and coach a sport he doesn’t know or like, John is frustrated and questioning his worth… until he crosses paths with a student struggling with her own journey. Filled with a powerful mix of faith, a twist of humor, and a ton of heart, the Kendrick Brothers return to theaters with Overcomer, their newest feature following Facing The Giants,  Fireproof, Courageous, and the #1 box-office hit War Room. This inspiring family film stars Alex Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer, Shari Rigby, Cameron Arnett, and introduces Aryn Wright-Thompson.

LIbrary 7 11.24.19.jpg

I Shall Not Want is a powerful devotional by Dr. Mike Evans designed to fill your heart with God’s promises and help you claim them day by day for your life.

Real power - that is, the power that brings true revival and transforms lives - in preaching comes from God alone. This is why it is so essential to follow the pattern for preaching given in Scripture, and the apostle Paul gives that pattern in 1 Corinthians 2:1-9. In The Kind of Preaching God Blesses, longtime pastor and Bible expositor Steven J. Lawson helps you fulfill your higher calling in ministry as you come to understand the priority of biblical preaching, the poverty of modern preaching, and the power of the Spirit in preaching. You will receive an abundance of guidance and encouragement as you explore how to carry out God’s ministry in a way that honors Him.

Wisdom is God’s greatest treasure, and with it you will enjoy meaningful relationships with God and with other people. You’ll make the best decisions possible. And you will live a fulfilling, joy-filled life. In just a few minutes a day, you can open your heart to God’s wisdom. Each brief selection provides just the right amount of reading for your quiet time. Short devotional introductions guide you as you meditate on thirty of Psalms’ and Proverbs’ most life-directing insights. Let God share His wisdom with you in 30 Days Through Psalms and Proverbs.

What is God’s will for my life? Should I take the job? Marry that person? Move to this city? Invest in that opportunity? Sometime the questions are endless, but God has bestowed an incredible gift in the heart of every believer that gives sure and certain answers. He has given you an internal compass to help guide your life, your family, your children, your finances, and more. Jentezen Franklin reveals in Right People, Right Place, Right Plan how you can tap into the heart through the holy spirit and mind of the Almighty. Use your supernatural gift of spiritual discernment so that you can associate with the right people, be in the right place, and have the right plan. In this expanded edition of Franklin’s classic, enjoy added teaching as well as prompts and questions to apply his truth directly to your life. God wants you to know that you are the one, this is the place, and now is the time!

Library 031320 1.jpg

In Five Green and Speckled Frogs, five frog friends are hungry and hot. They can sit on their log and slurp tasty bugs, or they can cool off in the pond. Which will they choose? Count and sing along with this funny favorite. Plus, there’s sheet music at the back of the book!

Tom is so intrigued by the special doll a classmate brings to school that he takes it home without telling anyone. Find out what happens next in Tom’s Terrible Secret!

Every once in a great while the hand of God is easy to see - and so it was with a lonely Patuxet brave and a struggling band of Pilgrims, as told in Squanto: The True Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxas. In 1608, a 12 year old boy named Squanto was captured in America and taken to Spain as a slave. With the help of Spanish monks who taught him about God, Squanto made his way to England and finally back to his homeland. Squanto arrived to find an empty village - a deadly virus had wiped out his entire tribe. In their place, a small group of struggling Pilgrims settled and called their new community Plymouth. Because of his time with the monks and in England, Squanto could communicate with the Pilgrims and knew about God. Soon he became their valuable guide and true friend.

It’s time to get ready for Christmas in Merry Christmas, Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish. The holiday comes wrapped up with lots of laughs as the literal-minded Amelia Bedelia stuffs the stockings, trims the tree, and pops corn - all in her own silly, silly way!

Charlie Brown tries to impress his red-headed dream girl at a football game, but Lucy won't cooperate in It’s Your First Kiss, Charlie Brown. This unique book includes a read-along record.

What's New at Cross Reference Library - Biblical Fiction and Testing Your Faith

Library 5 11.24.19.jpg

In Isaiah’s Daughter by Mesu Andrews, the Hebrews are a divided nation. Israel’s ten tribes have bowed to pagan worship. In Judah’s two tribes, an evil king mocks King David’s legacy while a remnant of Yahweh’s faithful cling desperately to their one true God. Caught in the middle of the war is an orphaned girl named Ishma, meaning “desolation”; her short life already mirrors the name. Ishma enters the prophet Isaiah’s home as a household servant, but her quick mind and lively spirit gain the friendship of Prince Hezekiah. When Isaiah sees their relationship mature, he adopts Ishma and gives her the name Hephzibah, “delight of the Lord”, and the desolate captive becomes Judah’s queen. But loving Hezekiah will require more of Hephzibah than she ever imagined.

Standing in the shadow of his famous father, young King Solomon wavers between fear and bravado, longing for a love that is true and pure - a love that can be his cornerstone. A shepherdess in the northern city of Shunem, Arielah has known since she first laid eyes on Solomon that it was her destiny to become his bride. When her father secures a promise from Solomon to marry Arielah as a treaty bride to help unite the kingdom, it seems her dreams will come true. But how can this simple shepherdess live as part of Solomon’s harem? Can Solomon set aside his distractions to give himself completely to just one woman? Or will he let duty, deception, and the daily routine divide his heart? Mesu Andrews expertly weaves the words of Song of Solomon into Love’s Sacred Song, a touching story of the power of love from the master storyteller.

Mischievous but good-natured Tom Sawyer lives life to the fullest - and gets into plenty of scrapes along the way. Join Tom as he hunts for buried treasure, makes a nighttime visit to the graveyard, and explores some dark and secret caves. Tom can turn any day into an unforgettable adventure in this retelling of Mark Twain’s classic The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Some people would say he had it all - the car, the clothes, the best education, the flashy girlfriend at his side. But Tim Devon is no different than anyone else. He wanted something more - he wanted to meet the father he had never known. That’s what brought Tim to Amsterdam, and that’s where he learned things that the privileged seldom do. He learned that life can be a sewer, and it’s pretty easy to get swept away by the current. Fortunately for Tim, there was one person who wasn’t afraid of the stench, who put unselfish love and raw courage into action to reach down and rescue no matter what the cost. Caught by Gregg Lewis is the story of an American kid in Europe who had a second chance, because another stranger in a strange land was unable - and unwilling - to look the other way. This is a story of God’s love reaching out across cultures and across time, pain, and anger.

Library 6 11.24.19.jpg

The phrase “wall of separation” was coined by Thomas Jefferson in his private 1802 letter of response to the Danbury Baptist Association, wherein he reaffirmed the federal government’s intention to protect the public’s rights of conscience to believe and practice their faith without fear of interference from government. Several prominent citizens rights organizations will contend that this purported wall is being routinely breached by people of faith, yet others will assert that any action by the government to impede an individual’s right to pray in school or at a public event, to display a Christmas tree in public, or to say “one nation under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance is itself a violation of the First Amendment. In Wall of Misconception, Dr. Peter Lillback examines our nation's historic understanding of the our Constitution’s relationship to matters of faith, ethics, and morals, taking into account the historical and biblical context as well as the concept’s relation to today’s culture. This is both the layman's and professional's definitive guide to the separation of church and state and, indeed, the separation of God and government.

Islam at the Crossroads by Paul Marshall, Roberta Green and Lela Gilbert explores the history of Islam, its basic beliefs and practices, and its polarizing divisions. Discover how the vibrant history of Islam has been inspired by core beliefs such as jihad, or holy war. Consider the worldview of a religion that does not separate church and state, sacred and secular. Examine the similarities and differences among Muslim groups and between Islamic and Judeo-Christian teachings. And gain insight into today’s events through a panoramic view of invasions and campaigns, from those of the Prophet Muhammad to present-day acts of terrorism. Accessible and engaging, Islam at the Crossroads is an exceptional primer for understanding Islam. It not only presents Islam’s basic foundations and historical facts, it also reveals the varied world of Islam today, calling for support from the millions of moderate Muslims who wish to simply live their lives in peace.

Is the emerging church movement just another passing fad, a more contemporary approach to church, or the discontent grumblings of young people looking for answers? Faith Undone by Roger Oakland reveals that, in fact, it is much broader and is influencing Christianity to a significant degree. Grounded in a centuries-old mystical approach, this movement is powerful yet highly deceptive, and it draws its energy from practices and experiences that are foreign to biblical Christianity. The path the emerging church is taking is leading right into the arms of an interfaith perspective that has prophetically profound ramifications. It is indeed a new way of being Christians, and in every conceivable manner, it is striving to bring about a new reformation. Without a doubt, it will have an impact on all churches in the Western world and far beyond. For behind this new kind of church is a well-designed strategy and maneuver by the prince of this world, the enemy of our souls, to literally take apart the faith of millions - it will be nothing less than faith undone.

Everyone has a religion. And most in America think theirs is Christianity - but they’re wrong. Too many self-professing Christians hold a schizophrenic worldview - a toxic mixture of Christian and humanist beliefs that undermine Biblical living and the potential to change the world for Christ. Recognizing the problem, Brannon Howse developed a test to help people assess their personal worldviews. Since it was first put online in 2002, more than 50,000 people have taken the test to rank themselves on a scale from “Strong Christian Thinker” to “Secular Humanist Thinker”. Using Brannon Howse’s worldview test questions as a springboard, Put Your Beliefs to the Test helps make sure your belief systems lines up with the Bible, and it clarifies why the Biblical position is correct.

New Music Monday - Cory Asbury Returns + New Artists on Saturday Night

New To Our Rotation

“Ooh, lay your burdens down
Ooh, here in the Father's house
Check your shame at the door
'Cause it ain't welcome anymore
Ooh, you're in the Father's house”

“Peace be still
Say the word and I will
Set my feet upon the sea
Till I'm dancing in the deep
Peace be still
You are here so it is well
Even when my eyes can’t see
I will trust the voice that speaks”

the 180remix Countdown

“And perfectly made
Perfectly loved
You see something great
That you are proud of
When they see a waste
You see a diamond in the rough
You don't make mistakes
I'm perfectly made
And I'm perfectly loved”

The Stronghold

“I’m nothing without You
I need You to pull me through
Nothing is mine but only You
Take my life and make me new
Take my mind and break me”

New Music Monday - Danny Gokey, JJ Weeks + Lots New on the 180remix Countdown!

New To Our Rotation

“If you could see it through my eyes
You'd know that you are wanted
You'd know that you are wanted
And if you'd let my love inside
I'll show you that you're wanted
I'll show you that you're wanted”

“Even in the fallout
You are right beside me
And even when the lights go out
It's your cross that guides me
I will not be shaken
You are my firm foundation
You are my firm foundation”

the top 25 contemporary christian countdown

“That’s freedom
That’s the sound of freedom
When your chains hit the floor
You’re not guilty anymore
That’s freedom
That’s the sound of freedom
Singing I’m not who I was
All because of Jesus”

The 180remix Countdown

“How do miracles just happen like that
Happen like that, happen like that
You can see the stars align but
I know that it's more than timing
How do miracles just happen like that
Happen like that, happen like that
Right before I hit the ground some
How You came along and found me
Right before I hit the ground some
How You came along and found me”

“It’s all up, it’s all up to you
It’s all up, it’s all up to you
It’s all up, it’s all up to you
Everything’s looking up
From way down here
It’s all up, it’s all up
Everything’s looking up
From way down here’s it’s all up
Everything’s looking up”

“I'm on the edge
I'm bout to take a step
I'm on a cliff
I'm bout to lose my grip
I'm jumping off
I'm gonna be a fanatic”

“I won't let the race overtake me
Won't let anxiety phase me
Whatever comes, count me in
Count me in
Oh, even when my legs are weary
I'm not gonna give up that easy
Whatever comes, count me in
Count me in”

The stronghold

“Man down, we've got a man down
Crying for help but I can't make a sound
Trapped inside
My own mind
I'm losing control of all my emotions
Is there a cure for these wounds that I've opened?
I'm bleeding out
We've got a man down”

New Music - Avalon, Matt Maher, Tauren Wells, Tobymac & More

New To Our Rotation

“There is only one God
There is only one truth
There is only one Name that saves me
There is only one King that my heart will bow to
My Savior, my love
There is only one
Only one Jesus”

Plans - Carolyn Crysdale

“For I know your plans are good
For I know your plans are good
For I know your plans are good for me”

“Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you're still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don't stop dancing and dreaming
There's still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord”

The Top 25 Contemporary Christian Countdown

“I'm lifting up my heart again
'Cause even when I can't see the plan
I know Your love is closing in on me
You hold the whole world in Your hands
Still You feel the pain, You understand
Ain't just a war I'm standing in, oh no
It's a blessing I can't see yet”

“You give the sparrows everything they need
You light the stars and You paint the leaves
You clothe the lilies with Your majesty
And You don't even love 'em like You love me
No, You don't love 'em like You love me, no”

“You've been my Savior, Sustainer, when I'm at my end
My Healer, Redeemer, again and again
My Mother and my Father, Brother, Sister, and Friend
Everything I've needed Lord, You've always been
Everything I've needed Lord, You've always been”

The 180remix Countdown

“Not gonna carry all that heavy
Keeping the world up off my mind
You got me weightless, weightless
Oh, and I know You'll hold me steady
Why would I walk when I can fly?
You got me weightless, weightless”

“I was never unplanned, unplanned, unplanned
It was not Your plan for me
I was never unplanned, unplanned, unplanned
I'm right where I'm supposed to be
I was never unplanned, unplanned, unplanned
I never left Your hands, never left Your plan
Was never unplanned
I never left Your hands”

“Is it just across the Jordan
Or a city in the stars
Are you singing with the angels
Are you happy where you are
Well until this show is over
And you run into my arms
God has you in heaven
But I have you in my heart”

What's New at Cross Reference Library - Fighting the World’s Lies, Living Generously and Resources for Church Leaders

Come see what’s new at Cross Reference Library, 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff, NE!
Open Monday through Friday from 9am-5pm.

Library 3 11.24.19.jpg

Filled with little known facts about our nation’s history, Freedom Tide by Chad Connelly sheds a hard light on where we are and how we got here, pointing out when and where we turned our backs on the solid values that once formed the bedrock of American society. Now you can make a difference! Most importantly, Freedom Tide is a call to action - a challenge to blaze a trail that will return our country to its founding principles before it’s too late!

Jesus is decidedly optimistic that His people can end extreme poverty - that’s why Fast Living by Scott C. Todd, PhD is unapologetically hopeful. Riveted with eye-opening economic progress, and firmly rooted in God’s words, Todd’s keen biblical insights and on-the-ground experience will change forever how we live the “true fast” of Isaiah 58. And in dramatic fashion, he reveals the truth: Jesus never said the poor will always be with us. For a generation of Christians tired of cliches or messages of guilt, Fast Living lifts our expectations to live our noble callings and demonstrate the Good News in a history-making way.

How should the Church respond to an increasingly antagonistic government? What should be our biblical responsibility? What has been the response of the Church historically to the opposition and hostility from government? Following Jesus and His disciples, our answer and hope must rest in the gospel as the power of God for the salvation and transformation of our nation. The praying and gospel-preaching Church is, and always has been, the means used by Christ to transform lives, societies, and nations. The concern of David J. Andersen in Christ’s Kingdom Commission is to encourage a return to these biblical means of grace in order to know the same power experienced in the Early Church, the Great Reformation, and subsequent national awakenings which transformed peoples, rulers, and nations, and which provided the resulting peace and freedoms enjoyed at various points in history.

“I’m not good enough…” “God doesn’t speak to me…” “I can’t be forgiven…” Let the lies go! Ever since Eve faced the serpent in the Garden of Eden, woman have been influenced by Satan’s deception. If lies limit your joy and potential, join author Cheryl Brodersen on a liberating, uplifting journey toward truth and purpose in When A Women Lets Go of the Lies. Engaging teaching, intriguing examples from real life, and biblical guidance will help you let go of insecurity, confusion, guilt, and temptation. With the addition of questions for reflection and an inspiring Embracing Truth Journal, you can finally exchange the burden of deception for the fruitfulness God intended from the very beginning for the garden of your life.

True generosity is the liberal giving of one’s possessions, abilities, influence and assets to serve the interests of others. In a world that is increasingly self-centered and insensitive, generosity goes against the tide. It stands in opposition to the me-first attitudes so prevalent in modern culture. In Revolutionary Generosity, Kirk Nowery issues a clarion call to a generous lifestyle. This is a message that holds the promise of tremendous spiritual benefit, because when you put into practice the principles of revolutionary generosity there is an unstoppable result. Attitudes are changed. Perspectives are sharpened. People are blessed. And God is honored.

Library 4 11.24.19.jpg

“Does working at your church interfere with your communion with Christ?” That question may have saved author Anne Jackson’s life, as you’ll read in Mad Church Disease. As the daughter of a pastor, Anne saw firsthand the struggles leaders face and the toll it can take on their families. She vowed her life in ministry would be different. Yet years later, as a church leader, she was hospitalized because stress began wreaking havoc on her body. She had burned out. Anne developed a website that allowed church leaders to share their struggles. Within a few days, she was flooded with over a thousand responses from people pouring out stories of pain. Mad Church Disease, born out of that experience, is a lively, informative, and potentially life-saving resource for anyone in ministry - vocational or volunteer - who would like to understand, prevent, or treat the epidemic of burnout in church culture.

Does the silence, as taught by many of today’s Christian teachers and leaders, really take us into the presence of God, or is it a door that opens to the great delusion and falling away of which the Bible speaks? Ancient mystical practices are being introduced into countless churches under the umbrella of the spiritual formation movement. Also known as contemplative spirituality, this belief system has roots in mysticism and the occult. A Time of Departing by Ray Yungen exposes the truth about the new spirituality that is entering the Christian church.

In Called to Stay, Caleb Breakey takes a refreshingly honest look at the church, the problem of millennials leaving, and the stark reality of why the church desperately needs them. He holds nothing back as he unleashes an ambitious rallying cry to heal the church and inject his generation’s desire for truth, passion, and conviction into other believers. Caleb knows that answering the challenge of his own generation leads to a transformed church.

In this age of the megachurch, does your small church suffer from an inferiority complex? A remedy has arrived in All Churches Great and Small, where Kirk and Rosie Farnsworth say smaller is actually better! The authors cite a major study that identifies significant advantages of small churches, including growing spiritually, sharing faith, and empowering leadership. They offer 60 specific ideas for those who want their churches to become more effective in areas such as worship, caring, praying, studying, giving, and witnessing. Used regularly, the ideas in All Churches Great and Small will help small churches become great churches.

Is your church struggling just to survive, let alone thrive? Are you wondering whether to try something new or fall back on tradition? You know something needs to change - but you have no idea how to make that happen. David Laubach’s 12 Steps to Congregational Transformation offers the practical tools to get you started. Drawing on years of experience in helping churches pursue transformation, Laubach has identified primary principles and top priorities for church leaders who are passionate about fulfilling their congregation’’s mission in the world. Each step includes a relevant biblical text and commentary, along with questions for reflection and action. With inspiring anecdotes, candid personal illustrations, and comical cartoons, this practical resource uses a light touch on a heavy topic. If you are a leader ready to embark on the journey of transformation, this book serves as a much-needed roadmap. Let an expert lead you through the right questions before you invest in a library of books that claim to offer the right answers!

New Music Monday - Casting Crowns, Phil Wickham and Micah Tyler

new to our rotation

“How beautiful and kind
The hands of Jesus
How beautiful and kind
Are your hands, Your hands
Your hands Jesus”

“You didn't wait for me to find my way to You
I couldn't cross that distance even if I wanted to
You came running after me
When anybody else would've turned
And left me at my worst
Love moved first”

“How could I hide this joy inside of me
Amazing grace, oh Lord, how can it be
Every day of my life I want the world to see
I can't get over what You've done for me
You got me singing like
Amen”

the top 25 contemporary christian countdown

“Oh, hero of Heaven, You conquer the grave
You free every captive and break every chain
Oh God, You have done great things
We dance in Your freedom, awakened to life
Oh Jesus, our Savior, Your name lifted high
Oh God, You have done great things”

the 180remix countdown

“You'd say yes, You'd, You'd say no
For my best, God, You'd know
Better than me, better than me
You'd say yes, You'd, You'd say no
For my best, God, You'd know
Better than me, better than me, yeah yeah”

Amazing - Jimmy Mor ft. V. Rose & Francois

“When my life feels like it’s crazy
I know Your love is amazing
And all I have to do is lift up my voice
I put my trust in You, there’s no greater choice
When my life feels like it’s raining
I know Your love is amazing”

“I feel my heartbeat, hear my soul sing
I'm alive, so alive
I was falling 'til You caught me
I'm alive, so alive, in You”

the stronghold

“Hold up a light
Hold up a light
Hold up a light till the morning comes
Hold up a light
Hold up a light
Hold up a light till the world is won”

New Music You'll Hear on KCMI in 2020!

New to our rotation

“All of you is all I need
All is you is what I need
So I will bring all of me to all of You
All of you is all I need
Breath of life you let me breathe
I will bring all of me to all of you”

“There's power in the mighty name of Jesus
Every war He wages He will win
I'm not backing down from any giant
'Cause I know how this story ends
Yes, I know how this story ends
I'm gonna see a victory”

“You love me completely
So much You gave Your life
You offered it freely
A relentless sacrifice
And I see scars in Your hands and feet
Thorn crown You wore for me
Forgiveness in Your eyes
This is what love
This is what love looks like”

“And I won't ask You for reasons
Cause a reason can't wipe away tears
No, I don't need all the answers
Just be here beside me
Father, remind me You're here”

“Bring your broken heart
Your secrets and your scars
You were never meant to carry all this weight
Let your walls come down
And let the tears fall out
And know that Jesus loves you just the same
It's okay not to be okay”

“I know that my Redeemer lives
I know that my Redeemer lives
He's still keeping all His promises
The same Jesus, the same Jesus”

The 180remix Countdown

Home - Tedashii ft. Crowder

“Looking for the shade
Where the trees are dead
Trying to find my way to the peace inside
Until I'm, until I'm home
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Until I’m, until I'm home
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Walking down this road 'til I'm home”

“I was born to walk through the fire
I was made to run through these flames
Yeah, even when I’m broken and tired
You are enough, enough, enough”

New Music Monday - Tenth Avenue North + New Christmas Songs from The Afters & Lifepoint Worship

New to our christmas rotation

“Your light came breaking through the darkness
Waking every heart with
Heaven singing joy unto the world
Our long awaited Savior
You will reign forever
We are singing joy unto the world”

“Come and adore for he is Christ the Lord
Open your heart and let his grace take hold
Every sinner and saint you are welcome home.
Come and adore the son of heaven's born...”

The 180remix Countdown

“My momma taught me to think differently
And see more than the colors of someone's skin
And see past the politics and how we disagree
To see a fellow kingdom citizen
We're all citizens
All this paranoia
Man it ain't no good for ya
Don't let it destroy ya
Paranoia get away from me”

Why Didn't Jonah Want to Go to Nineveh?

We learn in the first chapter of the book of Jonah, that God wanted Jonah to go to a place called Nineveh to tell them that they had been being bad people and that God was mad at them. But, instead of doing what God wanted, Jonah tried to run away, as far from Nineveh as possible.

We know that Nineveh was a scary place for Israelites because the people there did not like Israelites, and often were at war with the Israelites, so you may think that Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he was scared he would get hurt. However, if you read the book of Jonah for yourself, you will discover that the answer is entirely different.

Let’s start off by looking at what actually happened when Jonah did end up in Nineveh.

 Jonah 3:1-4:3 (ESV)Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he issued a proclamation and published through Nineveh, ‘By the decree of the king and his nobles: Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste anything. Let them not feed or drink water, but let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and let them call out mightily to God.  Let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”

 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the Lord and said, “O Lord, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country?  That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshis; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.  Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

As you can see, Jonah knew that if he warned the people of Nineveh that God was mad at them, they might decide to ask God for forgiveness. And if they asked God to forgive them, Jonah knew God would forgive them because God is loving and full of mercy.

So the answer to the question is: Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh because he hated the Ninevites so much that he did not want God to forgive them.

What does this means for us today?

In this case, we can learn exactly what Jonah was supposed to learn. We can see this lesson if we keep reading in Jonah chapter 4 right after Jonah complained about God forgiving the Ninevites.

 

Jonah 4:1-11 (ESV) But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. 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. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

 But the Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry?”

 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. Then 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. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. 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.”

 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.”

 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. 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?

Just like Jonah we should know that our God is a loving and forgiving God. He is so loving and forgiving that He died and the cross so that He could pay for all of our sins and forgive them.

But we should also learn what Jonah did not want to learn. We should learn that it is not fair for us to be grateful that God forgave us of our mistakes but to also be angry when God forgives other people.

Instead of being angry that God is willing to forgive people we don’t like, we should be focused on being grateful that God IS so loving and forgiving, because if He wasn’t so loving and forgiving, we would all be in big trouble. We all need God’s love and forgiveness, even me, and even Jonah. It is not our place, as people who have been forgiven, to be mad at God for forgiving other people as well.

Besides, life is always better when we focus on the blessings and grace God offers us, instead of holding grudges against other people.


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more things written by Amanda Hovseth.