Jonah 3:1-4 these first four verses we are going to deal with how the Lord treats Jonah after his repentance, but first let me make a simple observation:
CHANGE IS NOT EASY! If you are like me and you know God is dealing with you in some area, you probably want to try to avoid whatever you are facing because we don’t like change. That’s what Jonah thought he would do, just run from change. You know the bumper sticker that says, “Refuse to grow up!” Growing up means that some areas that you have gotten comfortable with are going to be different. May I just say that growth is never supposed to be comfortable? Folks, the story of change in our heart could be just a short story or a novel depending upon our response!
Read this carefully: “Now the Word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time…” ,This sentence gives me great hope because it shows us how God treats His children when they blow it then come back to Him! God does not refuse to speak to him; the moment Jonah repents, the “Word of the Lord comes…” Like I said, if you won’t listen to the Word of God in your life, you will listen to God through the works of God, but the moment you start listening again, He will go back and speak to you through the Word of God.
Hey, Christians, know this: even if you have left and deserted God, He has never once left you nor will He ever desert you. In Heb. 13:5 the Lord says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Furthermore, in Isa. 43:2 we have His promise that even, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” You say, “Even if I stubbornly refuse to obey God’s will in my life?” Yes! Remember the Lord is more interested in you than He is in using you! Simply put, God is a God of many chances. Is it based on your own goodness? NO! It is based upon His character nature!