A Note From The Clergy

Newnan First UMC Family,

It has been a joyful summer with you all, and a wonderful July where we have explored the book of Jonah together! If you did not get a chance to read through Jonah, I encourage you to do so now-- It is only four chapters long, 48 verses. You could read it all the way through in about 5 minutes, but you can chew on the contents forever.

We explored the meaning of Jonah through scripture, sermon, and song. The biggest takeaway of the book is this: those who have received the mercy and grace of God can’t be upset when God shares that same grace with others*. In other words, God’s grace is a gift that we do not deserve- we did not do anything to earn it, so we can’t be upset if God’s grace is also extended to anyone that God chooses. Even, in Jonah’s case, his greatest enemies: the evil Ninevites.

God’s question toward a bitter Jonah burns in our ears at the end of the book: “Is it right for you to be angry?” Are you ok with the idea of God loving your enemies? Aren’t you glad that God loves God’s enemies?

Especially in this divisive season in our nation, we often have enemies (...or at least, people that we find very difficult to love). That is the way of our world. But as followers of Jesus, we pray that we may be transformed by the renewing of our minds rather than being conformed to the ways of this world (Romans 12:2). May we thank God every day for the mercy and grace that we have received unearned. And may our hearts leap for joy when God’s grace is extended to others who were lost, but are now found.

-Connor

P. S. Please join me in welcoming our newest members, David and Erica Nix! We are so excited to welcome them and their infant son, Jackson, as a part of our Newnan First family. Thanks be to God!

*Paraphrased from Timmer, Daniel C.. Obadiah, Jonah and Micah: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries Book 26) (p. 75). InterVarsity Press. Kindle Edition.