Everyone Gets a Second Chance: Wisdom From the Story of JonahSample

God’s Employee

Yesterday we left Jonah on the beach. He’s probably pretty slimy and almost certainly smells awful, but he’s alive. Now God speaks to him a second time, telling him once again to go to Nineveh.

This is it! A chance for redemption, to do the right thing, and to follow God’s calling. For a moment, it seems like Jonah is all in on God’s plan. He goes to Nineveh, the center of a massive, violent, and oppressive empire, and begins to preach a short sermon throughout the city.

Let’s back up for a second for some context: Other prophets in the Bible tend to have a lot to say about the cities and nations God calls them to speak against. They often detail exactly what the offenders have done wrong, who they’ve hurt, and how God will punish their injustice. They’re often not the most cheerful passages to read, but they are descriptive. But, as we’ve seen, Jonah isn’t like most prophets.

Jonah’s sermon isn’t really a sermon. It’s more like a sentence he repeats as he walks through the city, telling the people that the city of Nineveh will be overthrown in forty days.

As far as we know, there’s no mention of God, no mention of what they did wrong, no mention of who they hurt, and no mention of what it even means for the city to be “overthrown.” Again, this is very un-prophet-like behavior. Now, let’s be clear, there are certainly plenty of judgment-related words thrown around by the other prophets. But it always comes with context and often with an option for redemption.

So what’s going on? It had seemed like Jonah was ready to step into God’s calling, but now it sounds like he’s going back on his word. Jonah knows the God of second chances, but he’s not giving the people of Nineveh a way to get to know this God better.

In the belly of the whale, Jonah had gotten desperate enough to decide to trust God, but now that he’s out, it seems like he’s just going through the motions. It’s almost like he’s saying, “God, I know You want me to go to Nineveh, and there’s no use fighting You, but I don’t have to like it, or do it well!”

Jonah’s march through the city proclaiming doom and gloom with no hope of redemption doesn’t reflect God’s heart. Instead, it reveals Jonah’s heart. It shows that he feels like God’s employee, doing the spiritual tasks he’s “supposed to do” without a close relationship with God.

Can you relate to Jonah? Have you ever felt like you’ve been attending church, serving, or even reading a Bible Plan because you’re supposed to? Maybe fear of disappointing God, a parent, or a significant other keeps you doing spiritual things instead of genuinely wanting to know God better each day.

Faith in God isn’t a checklist or a bunch of spiritual tasks we need to do to keep a whale from swallowing us. And we’re not God’s employees, doing our best to please him through Christian activities.

If this is stirring something up in you, God stands ready to give you—you guessed it—a second chance. A second chance to become fully devoted to Him. Not simply going through the motions, but committing your whole life to living and loving like He does.

Challenge: Have you ever felt like your faith was simply a checklist? If you’re still feeling that way, God wants to give you a second chance to rediscover the joy of wholeheartedly following Jesus. For more on finding Jesus for yourself, check out this Finds article.