Bewilderment

In our anxious age when the mental health of so many is fragile and people feel adrift and uncertain, an unlikely hero can offer surprising and much needed wisdom. We think of prophets as strong and confident figures, but the prophet Jonah is neither of these. In fact he's barely taken seriously at all and is crowded out of his own story by the whale that swallowed him up (a perfect metaphor for today's anxieties). Yet this short, dramatic story offers is a profound piece of theology that explores various themes including isolation, the prayer of protest, anger, fear, depression, and divine providence amid personal disaster. For anyone feeling adrift, this reveals the story of Jonah to be consoling. In the end, it is an exploration of the landscape of grace. In a world that currently feels grace-less, it has much to offer. Alone of the prophets, Jesus refers to Jonah by name and describes him as a 'sign'. This short, comforting book explores the ways in which Jonah remains a sign for us and our generation.