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Reflections Podcast
Reflections Podcast
Reflections • Episode 20
God’s Mercy on Our Enemy
14m • May 7, 2021

How can we show God’s mercy to people who’ve hurt us?

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How can we show God's mercy to people who've hurt us? In this episode, we are reflecting on the final chapter of the book of Jonah. God doesn't just want Jonah to preach to his enemies, he wants Jonah to share his compassionate heart toward them too. Will Jonah agree with God's compassionate perspective? The book ends with a question to give us the opportunity to self-reflect. So let's do that together.

Bible Reading Jonah 4:1-11

Reflection Questions

  1. Who is someone in your life you struggle to love?
  2. Picture this person from God's perspective. How does God see them with compassion?
  3. What is one way you can join God's perspective and show love toward this person today?

Show Credits:

Host: Cheree Hayes Message: Dr. Tim Mackie Bible Reading: Michelle Jones Production: Dan Gummel Theme music: Grant William Harold Background Music: Josh Leake, Young Summer

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2 Chronicles 36:22-23  –  13m
Looking Back to Look Forward
13m
Malachi 3:16-4:6  –  13m
Treasured by God
13m
Daniel 7:9-14  –  13m
There’s Hope in the Nightmare
13m
Esther 4:1-17  –  16m
Who Does God Choose to Work Through?
16m
Ezra 4:1-3, Isaiah 56:3-8  –  15m
Is God Inclusive?
15m
Ezekiel 36:22-36  –  14m
Promise for New Hearts
14m
Lamentations 3:19-33  –  14m
Learning How to Grieve from Lamentations
14m
Jeremiah 4:16-28, 1 Thessalonians 5  –  15m
The Deep Anguish of God
15m
Song of Songs 8:6-7  –  15m
Wisdom from Sensual Love Poetry?
15m
Ecclesiastes 4:4-12  –  15m
One Handful of Rest
15m
Isaiah 42:1-16  –  14m
Power of Metaphor
14m
Proverbs 1:1-7  –  13m
How to Live Wisely
13m
Job 38:1-18, Job 42:1-6  –  15m
How God Replies to Job’s Suffering
15m
Jonah 4:1-11, Exodus 34:5-9, 1 Kings 19:3-5  –  14m
God’s Mercy on Our Enemy
14m
Hosea 14:1-9  –  14m
What God Wants From Us
14m
Isaiah 61  –  12m
What Good News Looks Like
12m
1 John 1  –  12m
Message of the Prophets
12m
2 Kings 25  –  14m
What God Does About Suffering
14m
1 Kings 6  –  14m
Redeeming Disappointment
14m
2 Samuel 7  –  14m
Faithful Through Failure
14m
1 Samuel 2  –  13m
When You Feel Powerless
13m
Ruth 2  –  12m
How God Treats His Enemies
12m
Judges‬ 2  –  12m
When We Walk Out on God
12m
14m
Deuteronomy 30  –  11m
Understanding Ancient Law
11m
Deuteronomy 4  –  12m
God's Wisdom on Display
12m
Numbers 13  –  11m
Trusting God in the Wilderness
11m
Leviticus 25  –  13m
Gift of Rest
13m
Hebrews 10  –  12m
Meaning of Sacrifice
12m
Exodus 19  –  12m
Rescued for a Purpose
12m
Exodus 3  –  15m
When We Cry Out
15m
Genesis 32  –  13m
Wrestling God
13m
Genesis 1-3  –  15m
Why God Gave Choice
15m

Reflect

Once you've listened to the podcast, take time to reflect on these questions.

  1. Who’s someone in your life you struggle to love?
  2. Can you picture this person from God’s perspective? How does he see them with compassion?
  3. What is one way you can join God’s perspective and show love toward this person today?

Go Deeper

If you would like to dive deeper, use these Scriptures and questions for personal study or small group discussion.

Message Question
How did Tim’s message challenge or encourage you today?

Read: Jonah 4:1-11, Exodus 34:5-9, 1 Kings 19:3-5

The prophet Jonah despised the people who God sent him to warn. They were his enemies and he wanted nothing to do with them. Though Jonah loves when God shows him compassion, he is ready to die when God shows that same mercy to his enemies. But God doesn’t just want Jonah to preach to his enemies, he wants Jonah to show them compassion. Will Jonah agree with God’s merciful perspective? Will we agree? The book leaves us with this question and the chance to self-reflect. So let’s do that together now.

  1. Compare Jonah 4:2 to Exodus 34:5-9. How are these passages similar and different from one another? What comes to mind as you consider the irony in these two stories?
  2. Compare Jonah 4:5-8 and 1 Kings 19:3-5. How are these passages similar and different from one another? What comes to mind as you consider the irony in these two stories?
  3. Compare and contrast the lives of Jonah and Jesus. How are their stories similar and different? How did they respond to their enemies? Why were they each willing to die?
  4. Turn your reflections into a prayer. Admit the ways in which you identify with Jonah’s lack of compassion. Express appreciation for God’s compassionate character and pray for renewed ability to reflect his character toward those you struggle to love.
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