Jonah and the God of Second ChancesSample

“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying . . ."—Jonah 3:1

My Junior year of high school, I tried out for the basketball team. All through preseason conditioning and tryouts, there was no doubt in my mind that I was THE hardest working person out there. I won almost every sprint, pushed myself to the limit, and left everything I had on the court. I still have scars on my side from diving around that court. Now, guess what happened next . . . I got cut from the team. It was the worst feeling! I had a choice to make at that point: I could sulk around and give up, or I could work even harder for next year. By the time my senior year came around, not only did I make the team, but I was named team captain!

Even though this isn’t exactly the same as Jonah’s journey, we often see in the life of a Christian that God will bring us back to the place of failure; not so we can fail again, but because He wants to see us conquer it, because He has made us more than conquerors through Him who loved us (Romans 8:37). Sometimes, it can be something as simple as not making a team or messing something up, other times it can be a big sin issue or a past trauma. God wants to show us that He is a God of second chances . . . that He extends grace and mercy to us, and that He makes all things new (Revelation 21:5), makes beauty out of ashes (Isaiah 61:3), and brings about great good out of what was meant for harm (Genesis 50:20). 

You see, even after Jonah fled from God and was swallowed by a fish, God gave him a second chance. Let me repeat that - after Jonah DELIBERATELY disobeyed Him and ran from Him, God gave Jonah a second chance! I’m so glad that we serve a God who extends grace and mercy to us. For those of you who don’t speak Christianese, grace is unmerited favor, a gift given. It's getting something that you don’t deserve. And mercy is not getting what you deserve (like if you got caught stealing, but were let off without a punishment). As sinners, we are all deserving of death, unworthy to stand in the presence of a holy and perfect God, but because of Jesus, who took what we deserved and died in our place, we are extended the mercy of God.

And now, look what happened with Jonah’s second chance. “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it” (Jonah 3:10). You can read for yourself that Jonah didn't walk in complete obedience, but with the second chance God gave him, Nineveh was saved. 

Through all this, we get a beautiful picture of Jesus:

• Jonah sacrificed himself by telling the sailors to throw him into the water; Jesus sacrificed Himself on the cross. 
• Jonah spent three days in the fish; Jesus spent three days in the tomb.
• On the third day Jonah was vomited up; on the third day Jesus rose from the tomb.
• Jonah spent 40 days in Nineveh and God’s Word spread; Jesus spent 40 days with the disciples and Christianity spread.  

Questions For Reflection

• What is one time in your life you’re thankful that God gave you a second chance?
• What is a place of failure you need to go back and conquer?