Daily Direction Reading PlanSample

Genesee County in New York has a new program to combat crime. It requires criminals to make their victims whole. The aim is not just to punish criminals, but repair damage done to the victims. It leads to justice for the victims and shows compassion for the offender. God showed similar concern for the people of Nineveh. God sent Jonah to tell them that God was about to destroy their city because their crimes were horrendous. Jonah tried to flee to Spain because he did not want God to spare them. When he finally got to Nineveh and delivered God's message that the city would perish in 40 days, God chose not to destroy the people. Jonah got angry because he knew they deserved God's wrath. He was also angry because his prediction did not come true. It made him look like a false prophet. Jonah complained to God. "Didn't I say before I left home that You would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish. I knew You were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily You would cancel Your plans for destroying these people." God reproved Jonah because he was more afraid of losing his reputation than keeping 120,000 people alive. God said to Jonah, "You fail to realize how precious people are to me." We should remember that people who perish will do because they flatly reject the love and mercy of God.