Dear Cornerstone Family,
Jonah—4 chapters long, just 48 verses—but it’s one of the clearest expressions of the gospel’s pattern and God’s saving love for the nations in the Old Testament. Set against the backdrop of Israel’s prophetic tradition, the story of Jonah is a story of God’s amazing power to overcome every obstacle, even our stubborn hearts, to save the unlikeliest of people.
Running from God’s call, Jonah can’t escape from God’s righteous right hand. He goes down to Joppa, down into the ship, down into the depths of the sea, and finally down into the belly of the fish. But from that place of judgment, God raises him up, restores him to life, and recommissions him for service to the Lord.
Flowing from this resurrection theme is the mission of God. The Lord’s concern is not limited to Israel but extends even to Nineveh, a great and wicked Gentile city. God pursues both the rebellious prophet and the undeserving people, revealing his relentless compassion for the nations. Praise be to God, the hardness of men’s hearts is no match for the wideness of God’s mercy!
As we embark on this study, pray that as we follow Jonah’s path downward, upward, and outward, we will come to know the power of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 12:40). And pray that we learn the joy of answering the call of the mission of God in our own generation.
Finally, the end of March closed out the third quarter of our fiscal year. You will find a report of our March numbers as well as our year-to-date numbers below. As you can see, we are down in our projected giving on the year, but we have managed to keep a tight rein on expenses. As we move into the final quarter, please pray for a spirit of generosity manifested in joy-filled sacrificial giving to sweep through the Cornerstone family. For our cheerfully giving God loves cheerful givers (2 Cor. 9:7).
Your servant,
