Nineveh Repents

08/19/19 • 34 min

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Justin Fung reads Deryn van der Tang’s poetic response to Jonah 3. Dana Cunliffe walks us through Jonah chapter three, focusing on the Ninevites. She reminds us that God is at work, and there is always hope that powerful and wicked systems and empires can change. [Jonah 3]

Creative Response: Nineveh Repents by Deryn van der Tang

Three days did Jonah shout and sigh
God’s wrath in every street did cry
“Repent, repent before you die!”
The king threw off his royal clothes
Sat in the dust with barefoot toes
“Oh, evil men your sins disclose
Listen to what the prophet says
Or in forty days, you’ll be erased.
Man and beast, cease violent ways!
Sackcloth and ashes, fast and pray
If you want to live another day.”

As Jonah feared the people heard
The Word of God they preferred
From evil ways they turned away
God’s commandments to obey.
Compassion and Mercy is His Name
Just as Jonah knew the same.
We may huff and puff at others sin,
Before we really look within
This petulant child,
On whom God smiled
With His love He reconciled.

Creative Response: Nineveh Repents by Deryn van der Tang

Previous Episode

God’s Presence in the Pit

Ashley Greeley offers a creative response to the prayer of Jonah 2, and Andrea Ackermann reflects on where God is in the midst of our troubles. [Jonah 2]

Creative Response: Sonnets for Jonah – Despair and Hope by Ashley Greeley

Down to the bottom of the sea I sink,
trapped in the gut of a diving sea thing.
With, I suppose, plenty of time to think,
desperate thoughts form in my mind and cling.

The darkness lends itself to my despair
I am all abandoned, lost, cast away.
God has turned his face from me, does he care?
I do the only thing left, and I pray.

In my mind’s eye I watch the words rising
to God – Will he accept my repentance?
My gut then wrenches, once, twice, advising.
I feel the waves swell once more, then silence.

But then I hear an answer, a small sound.
It seems the ear of God my prayers have found.

A small victory, perhaps, but he’s here.
I feel the hope roll off me in a wave.
God sent me to this place, a seat of fear,
but he did not lead me to my own grave.

He’ll rescue me – I feel it in my bones.
And I, I will follow him through the horde.
Whatever that means, through all the unknowns.
I proclaim – Salvation comes from the Lord!

I will not turn from you, though others spurn.
I see you for the love you are and praise
your name on high even in the downturn.
You brought me life when all else was ablaze.

God wins, I’ll do it, I’m ready to fight.
My world upends, then all is blinding light.

Next Episode

What Kind of God, Part 2

This week, Justin Fung wraps up our series on Jonah. He urges us to see ourselves as Jonah in the story, and highlights what Jonah 4 teaches us about God’s mercy and why we should love our enemies. [Jonah 3:10-4:11]

Creative Response: Jonah 4

Courtney Albon

God, I don’t understand your indiscriminate love
I’m confused by the way your mercy moves
by the doors you hold open
by the tables you prepare
by the invitations you extend
I don’t understand your love

God, I’m tired of your patient justice
Tired of waiting for your liberation to catch up with my longing
For the tables to be flipped
For the systems to be uprooted
For the cities to be rebuilt
I’m tired of your justice

God, I’m scared of your unexpected grace
Scared of the places it might show up
Of the people it might reach
Of the sins it may cover
Of the punishment it may spare
God, I’m scared of your grace