Ready and Willing

“When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it.”—Jonah 3:10

The story of Jonah tells of a prophet on the run from God. Not wanting to go to the hated and dreaded Ninevites, Jonah would rather die than see them come to know God. It’s hard to communicate how much Jonah’s people, the Israelites, hated the Ninevites in Assyria. It was something like the Jewish-Palestinian conflict going on today, except it was probably worse. Imagine your family members being killed in war by your enemy. Then God tells you to go to that same enemy proclaiming the opportunity to escape God’s judgment. This is much more than many of us could ever be able to handle and Jonah is no exception. As soon as God commands Jonah to go to Nineveh, he says “No” and then boards the nearest boat that is going the furthest away. While on board, Jonah all too quickly gets a lesson in God’s power as the waves begin to toss the boat back and forth. Jonah realizes that the calamity is because of his disobedience and informs the crew that if they want to survive, then they need to throw him overboard, which they do. God then appoints a fish to swallow Jonah. He spends three days in the fish, where he repents, and God has the fish vomit him up onto dry land. Jonah makes his way to Nineveh, where he prophesies of God’s coming judgment. After finishing his task, he sets up camp outside of town, ready and hoping for God’s judgment to come.

The story of Jonah is about obedience, disobedience, the sovereignty of God, and man’s responsibility. But more than anything it is about the mercy and compassion of God. God is more merciful than we are and His mercy extends to those whom we would rather see judged and destroyed. The Ninevites do respond to Jonah’s prophecy, much to Jonah’s disgust and frustration, but we can see that God doesn’t enjoy punishing the wicked. He wants the wicked to come to repentance.

Have you felt the conviction for your sin? Do you believe that God has written you off and condemned you to a future away from Him? It’s not true! Our passage for today proves that God will relent when we repent. You may be experiencing the chastening hand of God, but take heart, it is a reminder of love! God wants us to repent and turn to Him. And when we do, he does the most miraculous thing in the world. He forgives! God forgives the worst of sinners! It doesn’t matter what you have done, or how far you think you have gone, God will forgive all of those who come to Him in humble repentance! That’s what bothered Jonah! How God could forgive the wicked Ninevites was more than Jonah could stomach, but that is what God did and that is what God will do! Don’t continue in your rebellion and disobedience! Come to Him in sorrow of heart and He will forgive. Seek Him and He will give you Himself. Don’t wait, do it today! Amen.