1. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” 3 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. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. 6 When Jonah’s warning reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. 7 This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. 8 But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. 9 Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”  10 When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.”

I’m not sure who wrote this little poem about preaching, but it goes this way. “I’ve never seen my pastor’s eyes, although with light they may shine. For when he prays, he closes his, and when he preaches…mine.”

One good thing about email devotions is that you either have your eyes open or you don’t open the email and read it. Of course you are part of the first group.

In the first chapter we looked at Jonah personally rebelling and running from God. He didn’t go off like the prodigal son in sinful living, but he was in disobedience to the Lord. He did not want to witness to the lost people of Nineveh even though God told him to go. He did not love the lost. He was prejudiced against people of a different race, color and country. He did not like the idea of the enemy staying in power when they have a cruel and evil people.

The second chapter dealt with personal renewal in Jonah’s own heart. God mercifully saved him from drowning in order to do something in his heart to make him usable again. God loved Jonah, but he needed an attitude adjustment. Before the attitude adjustment, he needed to be saved from the raging sea. He cried out to God for salvation and God heard his cry so created a miracle fish to swallow him and enough air to provide him life for three days. Here is where his prayer started with desperation. Moved to discover his deliverance from the Lord, he rededicated himself for the Lord’s service.

Application:   What would happen if you relooked at the need of your heart for God’s mercy in your life? What would happen if you looked at the ways God has delivered you? What type of dedication is He looking for in your life? What does God have for you? It may be a call to witness to a co-worker, family member, loved one. It may be writing a letter of apology or thanking someone. It may be giving to a cause of evangelism or missions. It may be teaching or working in an area of need. Is God knocking on your heart’s door?

As I am looking at the book by Jonah. It began with the changed servant in order to bring a light to people in darkness or in need. This week we will hear the message that God tells Jonah to preach. What is the message people need to hear around us? 

Revival comes when people face the truth of their spiritual condition. We will see that Jonah was now obedient to God, but his heart was still prejudiced against the Ninevite people. He was happy to preach judgment on the people, but not see the mercy of God.

I knew one lady whose husband was not a Christian. She came to church to find friends who supported her in her concern for her husband. She would explain how he acted and ignored her and how he didn’t like her coming to church. She was a spiritual leader for her church.

By God’s grace, he had a talk with their pastor and turned his life over to the Lord. Things changed dramatically for him. Surprisingly his wife was confused. She knew how to act as the “victim” of an unspiritual husband, but now he was getting the attention and people encouraged him in the Lord instead of her. She saw him taking more of the spiritual leadership in the home and frankly resented it. It was almost like she was used to the life of feeling spiritually better, but now that wasn’t the case.

Our attitudes need adjustments continually. People who are lost need to hear the good news - even our enemies. Maybe God is preparing you to be the one to tell them. Are you ready for the change that may result?

Dale

Prayer:  Lord, when things feel like this is my life, help me to be like John the Baptist, he/she "must increase and I must decrease".  Make me a servant and speak what will always build others up and benefit those who listen.