INTRODUCTION
Today’s readings from Jonah and Matthew reveal a God whose heart overflows with compassion toward the repentant and weary. Whether it is a rebellious prophet fleeing from his calling or a sinful city facing destruction, or even the tired and burdened souls of Jesus’ day, God’s invitation remains the same: return, rest, and receive His mercy.
DAILY READING
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Jonah 1-4
Jonah Flees the Presence of the Lord
1 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried out to his god. And they hurled the cargo that was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone down into the inner part of the ship and had lain down and was fast asleep. 6 So the captain came and said to him, “What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish.”
Jonah Is Thrown into the Sea
7 And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know on whose account this evil has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 Then they said to him, “Tell us on whose account this evil has come upon us. What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” 9 And he said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” 10 Then the men were exceedingly afraid and said to him, “What is this that you have done!” For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.
11 Then they said to him, “What shall we do to you, that the sea may quiet down for us?” For the sea grew more and more tempestuous. 12 He said to them, “Pick me up and hurl me into the sea; then the sea will quiet down for you, for I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you.” 13 Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to get back to dry land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them. 14 Therefore they called out to the Lord, “O Lord, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not on us innocent blood, for you, O Lord, have done as it pleased you.” 15 So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging. 16 Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.
A Great Fish Swallows Jonah
17 And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
Jonah’s Prayer
2 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, 2 saying,
“I called out to the Lord, out of my distress,
and he answered me;
out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
and you heard my voice.
3 For you cast me into the deep,
into the heart of the seas,
and the flood surrounded me;
all your breakers and your waves
passed over me.
4 Then I said, ‘I am driven away
from your sight;
yet I shall again look
upon your holy temple.’
5 The waters closed in over me to take my life;
the deep surrounded me;
weeds were wrapped about my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I went down,
to the land whose bars closed upon me forever.
Yet you brought up my life from the pit,
O Lord my God.
7 When my life was fainting away,
I remembered the Lord,
and my prayer came to you,
into your holy temple.
8 Those who pay regard to vain idols
forsake their hope of steadfast love.
9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving
will sacrifice to you;
what I have vowed I will pay.
Salvation belongs to the Lord!”
10 And the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out upon the dry land.
Jonah Goes to Nineveh
3 Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” 3 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. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 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 People of Nineveh Repent
6 The word reached the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 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, 8 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. 9 Who knows? God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we may not perish.”
10 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.
Jonah’s Anger and the Lord‘s Compassion
4 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. 2 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 Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster. 3 Therefore now, O Lord, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.” 4 And the Lord said, “Do you do well to be angry?”
5 Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city. 6 Now the Lord God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant. 7 But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered. 8 When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.” 9 But God said to Jonah, “Do you do well to be angry for the plant?” And he said, “Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die.” 10 And the Lord said, “You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night. 11 And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?”
Matthew 11
Messengers from John the Baptist
11 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities.
2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
7 As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. 9 What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, 14 and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. 15 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates,
17 “‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.”
Woe to Unrepentant Cities
20 Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
SUMMARIES
Jonah 1
Jonah, a prophet of Israel, is commanded by God to go to Nineveh, a wicked Assyrian city, and preach against its sins. Instead, Jonah attempts to flee God’s presence by boarding a ship to Tarshish. A violent storm threatens the ship, and Jonah, realizing his disobedience is the cause, tells the sailors to throw him overboard. As soon as they do, the storm ceases. Jonah is swallowed by a great fish, prepared by the Lord, where he remains for three days and nights.
Jonah 2
From inside the fish, Jonah prays a poetic and heartfelt prayer of repentance and thanksgiving. He acknowledges God’s sovereignty and salvation, committing to fulfill his vows. The chapter highlights Jonah’s spiritual awakening in the depths of despair. In response, God commands the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land, giving him a second chance.
Jonah 3
God renews His call to Jonah, who now obeys and preaches in Nineveh. Surprisingly, the people—led by the king—repent in sackcloth and fasting. They turn from their evil ways, and God, in His mercy, relents from bringing disaster upon them. This chapter displays the power of repentance and God’s readiness to forgive even the most unlikely people.
Jonah 4
Jonah is displeased with God’s mercy toward Nineveh. He complains, revealing that he fled initially because he knew God is gracious and compassionate. God uses a plant to teach Jonah a lesson about compassion. When the plant dies, Jonah mourns it, yet he lacks concern for the thousands of people in Nineveh. God’s final word exposes Jonah’s misplaced values and highlights divine compassion.
Matthew 11
Jesus addresses the crowds about John the Baptist, affirming his prophetic role. Yet Jesus rebukes cities like Chorazin and Capernaum for their unbelief despite witnessing His miracles. He praises the Father for revealing truth to the humble, not the proud. The chapter concludes with a profound invitation: “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Jesus contrasts the burdensome religion of the Pharisees with His gentle, soul-refreshing way.
DEVOTIONAL
The Mercy That Pursues Us”
Jonah’s story is not just about a reluctant prophet and a great fish—it’s about the mercy of a God who pursues both the wayward and the wicked. Jonah ran from his calling, yet God pursued him with a storm, a fish, and finally, a plant. The Ninevites, drowning in sin, were met not with immediate judgment but with a call to repentance—and God relented when they responded.
In Matthew 11, Jesus extends a similar pursuit. He speaks of those who reject Him, yet His heart remains open: “Come to Me.” Whether one is a prophet, a pagan, or a tired soul burdened by life or religion, God’s call is always toward mercy and rest. Jonah wanted punishment for Nineveh; God desired repentance. Jonah pouted under a withered plant; God wept over lost souls. And Jesus, the greater Jonah, wept for unrepentant cities and invited the weary to find rest in Him.
It’s easy to act like Jonah—harboring bitterness, resisting grace for others, or running from God’s call on our lives. But the message today is clear: God doesn’t just forgive; He pursues. He confronts not to condemn but to restore. His compassion is not limited by our understanding or preferences.
Have you run from God’s call, struggled to show mercy, or simply grown weary in your soul? Take heart—Jesus beckons. Lay your burdens at His feet. Let His mercy find you, change you, and flow through you to others. Like Nineveh, like Jonah, like all who come—He will not turn you away.
QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION
In what areas of your life might you be resisting God’s call or running from His direction?
How can you reflect God’s compassion to people or situations where you’ve previously shown judgment?
What burdens are you carrying today that Jesus is inviting you to lay down in exchange for His rest?
ACTION ITEM
Identify one person or group you’ve struggled to show compassion toward. Pray for them, and take one tangible step this week to extend mercy—whether through a kind word, an act of service, or simply letting go of a judgmental attitude.
PRAYER
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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