Have you ever wondered about being given the opportunity for a second chance at something? The story is told of how Jonah was offered an opportunity to be used of God to deliver a message of repentance to spare a corrupt nation from destruction. His pride and cultural bias, however, had blinded him to God’s purposes. God provided grace, however, and an opportunity to extend mercy to those he deemed unworthy and undeserving.
RELEVANCE
We meet Jonah, a prideful man full of nationalistic zeal. We could say he was probably an individual least likely to be called for the task for which God assigned him. When instructed to go to Ninevah (a place five hundred miles northeast) with God’s message, he attempts to go his own way two thousand miles west!
God, in His creative grace, has a big fish swallow up Jonah. In the belly of the big fish—amidst whatever else was lodged there—Jonah meets His Maker. It’s always amazing to watch how God uses the most delightful as well as despicable places to arouse and command our attention! But He does bring us to isolated places to grasp hold of our heart, bring us to our senses and cry for mercy.
Jonah did cry out to God. He received God’s encouragement. He caught a revelation of how being caught up in worthlessness and deceiving vanities can blind one from God’s truth, and cause one’s heart to be hardened and oblivious to His lovingkindness and grace. As soon as he repented he received mercy—a second chance. He was spit out and landed right where he needed to be! He just had to walk out was he was called to do. He learned with God anything is possible.
REFLECT AND RELATE
How might God have offered you opportunities of grace that slipped by?
What opportunity of mercy might lie ahead? How might you respond?
REFERENCES
Book of Jonah