Running from Mercy

If you ever went to Sunday school, you’ve probably heard the story of Jonah and the big fish. And if you’re a fan of Veggie Tales, for sure you’ve heard of it. But, as is often the case, when we try to simplify things for children, a lot gets left out, and all too frequently we don’t make time as adults to go back and read the biblical account. And so we miss out on an awful lot.

                Anthony Carter has taken the account, rather than the story, and fleshed out what it means to be exposed to the God of Second Chances.  Running from Mercy: Jonah and the Surprising Story of God's Unstoppable Grace ( B&H Publishing, 2018)  reminds us that we are Jonah, and God is pursuing us, just as he did the Jonah of the Old Testament.  As Carter puts it: “The Bible is the story of God's gracious pursuit of rebels. It’s the story line of the Bible, It’s the message of Jonah.” 

And when God chases after us, we need to remember that He has an endless supply of resources available. He even orchestrated a divine appointment between Jonah and that giant sea creature. Perhaps some things happen by chance, but chances are God is involved, and we learn that regardless of how far we try to run, how hard we try to hide, God is relentless in his pursuit of us. If the gospel is not changing us, then it’s probably because we’re listening to a changed gospel. (p 106)

My favorite takeaway from this book is that mercy doesn’t run after the righteous, rather mercy runs to sinners (p 162). I am Jonah, and I love seeing where God is at work in my life, continuing to reach down in pursuit of me, regardless of the running that I try to do.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my thoughts about the book. I was not required to write a positive review.

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