Second Chances

“Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’”

— Jonah 4:10-11

Today’s Text: Jonah 4 (Living Life Daily Devotional)

Where would we be if our God was not the God of second chances. And not just second chances, but the third or fourth and on and on. At the same time, where would we be if our God was not the God of justice, making His goodness and righteousness known to the world.

Our God is the God of mercy and justice. That is what God directly revealed to Moses:

And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
— Exodus 34:6-7

How crazy is it that Jonah was complaining about the fact that God is “the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin?”

But it’s not that Jonah was complaining about the mercy of God toward himself or the Israelites, the people he loved. He was complaining about God’s mercy toward the people he hated.

Jonah, as a prophet of God, represents the covenant people of God. And throughout the Scriptures, we find that God’s plan and purpose for His covenant people is to be witnesses of His mercy, justice, and redemption in Christ Jesus to the ends of the earth.

The message of Jonah is ultimately MISSIONAL. In fact, that is the ultimate message of the whole Bible. The application of the revelation of God must always be the mission of God in Christ Jesus to the ends of the earth.

Father, You are Creator of heaven and earth. And You have called us to participate in Your great plan of salvation for the world in Christ Jesus. Forgive us for losing sight of that truth. Help us, help me, to know Your heart more.