February 23rd

February 23rd
Jonah 3:1-10
Steve McWilliams

Jonah ran away from God, but was given a second chance. His second chance was not one he would have chosen; a message of doom to the most powerful city in the world. The message was not one that was prepared, but one that God would tell him what to say. His audience was not one that one would have chosen, the people of Nineveh who also needed a second chance for they had been condemned by God for their ways.

As I read the text, I though about how many second chances that I have had; times when I did not have a second chance or times when I had a second chance in some way but did not take advantage of it. Probably most people do think back on their lives and have wishes of situations where they would have made a different choice, but our lives and our lives with God are not about yesterday. Our lives are about today and what we do today may have an affect on tomorrow. One day at a time and we live in the present. Yesterday may help us or hurt us, but we cannot live in it.

Jonah’s past must have influenced his decision to follow God, for he did not try to run form God a second time. When the king of Nineveh heard of this, he had the people and other parts of creation to not drink, feed, and to be covered with sackcloth for repentance. It is not always our hearing God’s word that pleases him, but our response to it. Like Jonah and the people of Nineveh, repentance has to be one of sincerity from the heart, and not superficial words of the mouth.

God is always there to show compassion to anyone willing to seek him. The purpose of God’s judgment is correction, not revenge. One of the most meaningful words to me is grace, for even on second chances I may not get it right. Thanks be to God.