“Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it.” Jonah 3:3
Will you say yes to the call?
“Forty more days and your city will be destroyed.”
How would you like to be Jonah with a doom and gloom warning message for these people? He delivered this message to a city of one hundred and twenty thousand people at the time – Nineveh.
That’s what he was called to do. For God, the need was so urgent that he would not let Jonah’s reluctance stand in the way. That was Jonah’s second opportunity to warn these people about what would happen.
They humbled themselves in fasting and cried out to God. And their king rose from his throne, changed from his royal clothes into sackcloth and sat in dust. He also decreed this: a corporate fast involving both people and animals; people to call upon God urgently, to give up their evil ways and violence and to wait for God’s compassion. The people turned from their evil ways.
God’s heart was deeply touched. In his compassion, he stopped and reconsidered his plan. No destruction would be carried out in that city.
Now Jonah’s argument was, I warned the people of the destruction coming upon them, Lord, but you changed your mind. His point was, “I give up, I’m sad and I can’t take this anymore. I’d rather die now Lord.”
It seems Jonah was concerned about his own reputation and his people, while God was concerned for the souls of the people of Nineveh. Perhaps Jonah felt he looked like he was wrong in the eyes of the people to whom he’d given the warning. Yet he had faithfully delivered God’s message.
We too may be called to give a difficult message at times. May we faithfully carry that message with hearts of compassion, entrusting the results to God.
Father God, search my heart and if there is anything that displeases you, show me so I can turn from any evil way. Help me to pay attention to what is pleasing to you, in the name of Jesus.
Is there anything in your heart that you feel God is leading you to do? Pay attention to this call.
By Fab Batsakis
Used by Permission
Further Reading
• Forgiveness – Yourself / Others