Jonah: Big Fish, Bigger GodSample

By God’s grace

Can you think of someone who will never become a Christian? Someone so set in their ways and their sins that there is no chance they will repent and believe in the true God? Before you answer, check out what happened in Jonah chapter 3:

“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 began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, ‘Forty more days, and Nineveh will be overthrown’” (verses 1, 2, and 4). Jonah walked into this ancient metropolis, famous for its wickedness, and turned over God’s sand timer of judgment. “Forty days, and you’re dead!”

You would think that the next verse would say, “Then the men of Nineveh arrested, tortured, and murdered the prophet who dared to defy them.” But that’s not what the next verse says. Here’s what it says: “The Ninevites believed God” (verse 5).

No. Way. Nineveh?! There wasn’t a chance that people so bad could do something so good! But apparently, they did. The Holy Spirit can do more than we ask or imagine. Just ask Jonah!

There is no promise that everyone you love will be saved, but there is the potential. Don’t stop praying. Don’t stop loving. Maybe one day, something will change, and God will grant them a change of heart. It happened back then, and by God’s grace, it can still happen today.