THE GOD OF NEW BEGINNINGS

            After being obstinate, recalcitrant, defiant, rebellious and willfully disobedient, God offered Jonah a new beginning.  It wasn’t a second chance in the sense of happenstance or luck.  The providence of God never comes by accident.  The word of the Lord came

to Jonah the second time… (Jonah 3:1).  How often we can see ourselves in Jonah.  All of us have made a mess of things (on different levels and in varying degrees).  Each and every one of us has tasted the bitter fruit of going our own way and turning aside from the paths of God.  Hopefully we can also see ourselves in Jonah in being the recipients of God’s marvelous and unmerited mercy.  God grants to us A FRESH START.  We are graced by God to become a new creation, created in Christ Jesus (2Cor.5:17).  With gusto we sing, the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end - - they are new every morning (Lam.3:22-23).   

            The grace and mercy that was extended to Jonah (and the nation of Israel) was also offered to the people of Nineveh, wicked though they were.  Jonah navigated the great city proclaiming God’s message: Yet forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed (Jonah 3:4) … and lo and behold, they listened!  Nineveh is dubbed a great city Jonah (1:2; 3:2 & 4:1), but it was not because she was good. Nineveh was great (large) because she was evil, having grown enormous by overwhelming the weaker ones around her with muscle and might.  She had gorged herself on the spoils of war and her pillage and plunder had served to enlarge her borders.       

            But now, according to the scales of the Righteous God of heaven, Nineveh’s days were numbered.  Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He instructs sinners in the way (Ps.25:8).  Nineveh was offered a new beginning - - she didn’t deserve it (and neither do we), but God’s goodness is inexplicable.  Here on the pages of the ancient text of Jonah, we see God’s plan of redemption unfold-ing before our eyes.  Nineveh didn’t just hear God’s message, they believed.  When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring upon them.  And did not do it (Jonah 3:10).  What Jehovah offered Nineveh now comes to us through the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.  His mercy is beyond comprehen-sion, but IT DOES REQUIRE OF US REPENTANCE.  Some of us need to get out the sackcloth and ashes (Jonah 3:5-6) and humble our-selves in the presence of the Lord (Js.5:6 & 10). 

                                                                                                                                               Terry Siverd / Cortland Church Of Christ