"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

Many times we hear people say or think God is an angry God. True, God is angry when people disobey his will. But is he quick to anger? Does he have a short fuse? There may be many people who are said to have a short fuse, but God is not that.

We as people in our society get angry in a different ways. We are quick to judge and make a final judgment of someone. They are guilty before proven innocent, they are too far gone and aren’t worth saving. Lock them up and throw away the key; People want justice or want someone to blame. Let’s remember,

“For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20)

Let’s take a look at Jonah. Jonah did not want to go to the city of Nineveh as God told him to and preach against their evil ways. He probably thought it was not worth going to preach to these evil people. So he ran off to catch a boat to Tarshish. 

We all know the rest of the story of the big fish swallowing Jonah. While in the fish, Jonah prayed. He had a change of heart and did as God said once the fish vomited him out onto dry land. Jonah went about telling the people,

"Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” (Jonah 3:4b)

The king and all the people believed God and turned from their evil ways so consequently God relented.

Jonah was angry. He was upset, knowing God was a gracious and merciful God. He would rather die than face that he was wrong when he thought the people had no hope. 

Sometimes we would rather stay angry at someone, never wanting to be forgiving, never wanting to admit we are wrong, or realize others can have a change of heart in their ways. God was gracious in order to save 120,000 souls from Nineveh. God is slow to anger knowing we all sin and fall short of doing what is right. He would rather have patience than for us to be lost.

Hymn: The Love of God

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