Tim Keller | August 5, 1990
There’s a subplot in the book Jonah: it’s Jonah’s impact on the sailors and their impact on him.
Do you see the exquisite irony here? Jonah runs away because he hates the dirty pagan Ninevites. He doesn’t think they can change, and he doesn’t care enough to want them to change. But then, Jonah ends up sacrificing himself for dirty pagan sailors. The very truth missing from Jonah’s mind and heart is imparted even as God seeks him.
Let’s see what this shows us about how we should regard the world. Here is what the sailors teach us: 1) every human being has a deep, spiritual longing, but 2) in our natural state, our deep, spiritual longings are distorted by fear.
This Month's Featured Book
In Shaped by the Gospel, Dr. Keller shows how gospel-centered ministry is more theologically driven than program-driven. As you read, you’ll discover how reflecting on the essence, the truths, and the patterns of the gospel leads to renewal in your lives, churches and ministries.