Key Texts: Jonah 1-2; 2 Chronicles 7: 14; 1 John 1: 6, 9
Supporting Texts: Jonah 3-4; 1 John 5; Psalm 51; Nahum 1-3
For this series so far we have considered unplanned transitions, during which men of God (Joseph – Jesus’ earthly parent) and Joseph (Jacob’s son) were led by God through the supernatural and sheer chaos. None of them were aware of God’s plan for them until it was overtly revealed, but both willingly submitted to His will as soon as it became apparent. Their transitions were filled with opposition which is an inevitable by-product of a high calling. However, there are times when we are aware of ways in which God has prompted us to transition, but resist, because we find it to be a challenge, have other plans, or simply prefer having our way. Such was the case for Jonah – the prophet who is often referred to as a backslider.
As a child and even partially as an adult, I misunderstood repentance. I perceived repentance from sin to be a necessity mainly to surrender one’s life to God and meet Jesus – the Saviour. Though that is not incorrect, I have developed in my understanding of it. Repentance involves acknowledging wrong (or sin) and likewise showing that we are sorry for it by amending our behaviour. This is why in the Church we expect those who have repented from sin to forsake a life of sin, and begin a journey with God. It is an appropriate choice of a word to indicate how we encourage others to come to know Christ, but is equally important for those who have are already walking with God who are equally responsible to continue to grow.
I find it somewhat ludicrous when those who follow Christ give the impression that after their initial repentance from sin, they ceased sinning altogether. Admittedly, I don’t think they are sincere and I’m always dubious about their authenticity. This is not plausible as all have sinned in some way and fallen short of God’s standards – the ultimate measure of perfection (Romans 3: 23). We begin the process of sanctification when we accept Christ as our Saviour and embark on the noble journey with God; this involves learning and growing (becoming more like Christ over time), and though it is an expectation, there is no standard time frame in which we achieve it. We are all work in progress: preachers, pastors, deacons, those who have been saved for decades, those who do not yet know the Lord and those who are new to faith.
During this process of becoming more like Jesus, God gives us instructions for our growth and clarity about our ministries (through the Word, our prayers, discerning and mature Christians and dreams as a few examples). Ideally, we should receive the Word and act immediately, but we are often disobedient when we neglect our responsibilities to transition, grow or obey in areas that God has clearly commanded us to change. God is merciful and as seen in Chapters 1-2 of Jonah, He does not sever His ties to us when we wilfully delay our transitions, but lovingly pursues us and firmly insists that we concede. Sadly, like Jonah, we also delay obedience sometimes and fail to transition to a higher level of maturity, resulting in some painful experiences.
Jonah was commanded to go to Nineveh (Assyria’s capital) to preach and warn the people to repent and turn to God. He refused to do this, feeling that the wicked Assyrians did not deserve mercy. Indeed, Jonah complained to God that he disobeyed the instruction to preach repentance to them because he knew that in His love and mercy, He would forgive them and not destroy them as he secretly wished. Jonah had not forgiven them for their atrocities against his people and this bitterness and defiance was exposed in the violent storm which threatened the lives of all aboard the ship to Tarshish – his choice of a destinations opposite to where God called him to go. When he admitted his sin to them and they threw him overboard at his request, Jonah was fully aware that he was facing the consequences of his disobedience. He perhaps expected to die as the sea was raging when he was thrown overboard. Ouch!
God had intended for Jonah to maturely and graciously minister to the violent, unscrupulous and abhorrent people of Nineveh, but he was allowed his emotions to rule instead. Ironically, Jonah was just as sinful as the people he wanted to condemn even if their evil seemed unpunished and they hurt his beloved people. Despite his disobedience and risky behaviour, God was merciful to him. The three days and nights that Jonah spent inside the fish compelled him to reflect, repent, and express gratitude to God for saving him from death. God is omniscient and knew this in advance of course, but He did not alter his plans for Jonah – He still chose him. Like a stern parent bent on a child’s compliance, God repeated His command to Jonah in Chapter 3: Get up, go to Nineveh and preach my message of judgement! God did not soothe his tears, ask if he was traumatised by his nights amongst the fish’s innards or ask for his opinion – He gave Jonah a second chance to transition beyond his grouses and pettiness to be a man of God who was more concerned for the salvation of their souls than he was for vindication.
On the second occasion, Jonah obeyed (though grudgingly). Subtext: the will of God will not always be exciting or preferred, but all He wants is our obedience regardless. After listening to Jonah, the king and his people responded with repentance and the city was saved. This angered Jonah, and though his stay at the fish motel had led to some repentance, he was still seething against God. (Don’t judge him – you’ve needed time to transition too!). He was not happy that the city had been spared. Even then, God did not give up on him, but taught him that his anger was not justified and that he should have been more concerned about the people’s souls. The book of Jonah ends with God having the final Word, reminding Jonah that he loves all people, and longs to save them. I love the book of Jonah as it was written by the prophet himself, highlighting his humanity and shortcomings, but also his relationship with God. It ends without him arguing or winning his case against God, but rather with a silent admission that sometimes his ministry would involve engaging with people who he deems unworthy. Readers get the sense at the end of the book that though Jonah did not see the city destroyed in his lifetime to feel vindicated, he ceased complaining, accepted God’s will and transitioned to being a prophet who would not need another ‘ouch’ bed and breakfast in a fish’s stomach to obey God promptly. The book of Nahum depicts Nineveh’s end over a century later; those who repented were saved but the repentance of the city was short-lived. God did not reveal their future demise to Jonah – He simply wanted obedience for his ministry in his walk with God, and the salvation of the 120,000 inhabitants at the time. Sometimes, our transitions are more than personal – they connected to others’ deliverance.
We are in no position to condemn Jonah. As I wrote in Blots, Flaws and Revelations, though we do not condone sin, we are in no position to condemn any preacher or other believer who struggles, either with sins of the flesh or the spirit – we are not God. In fact, God, who could exercise His right to destroy us and all others who sin against Him was merciful to all repentant hearts in the key text.
1. He heard the cries of the sailors who called on Him when Jonah shared his faith (albeit under pressure!). Though Jonah was asleep as they panicked, symbolic of our dormancy when we ignore God’s commands, he still had an opportunity to say enough to encourage them to repent.
2. The king and people of Nineveh at the time who heeded Jonah’s warnings were saved.
3. Jonah, despite vacillating between repentance and unforgiveness, eventually stopped complaining and seemed to proceed in his calling without doing so grudgingly. He repented, and God continued to have a relationship with him, even if he was going through a season of unhappiness, disobedience and complaining.
We may not have had experiences which were as dramatic as Jonah’s, but we may have experienced our own ‘ouch’ moments due to delayed obedience for similar reasons. I certainly have. Some sins are more readily recognised (and indeed condemned just as readily), especially if they are manifested in the flesh. However, sins within the heart (or thoughts) such as unforgiveness, bitterness, or anger at God for not punishing wickedness are equally damaging and demand repentance. God does expect us to transition like Jonah, from being believers who want justice on our timetable to those who will obey the call to serve even those whose behaviour we find quite irksome, and even if we are unable to discern God’s hand of justice. Jonah’s issues, if considered further, stemmed from a breach in his trust for God. We must trust that He sees our suffering and cares about us, even when God asks us to minister in situations which seem futile and unfair. It’s likely that someone, or a group of people just came to your mind! Who do you need to be gracious to despite their hostility towards you? That question is just as pertinent for me as it is for you. Which attitudes or behaviours do you need to shed to be a more mature and dependable believer? How has God tried to get your attention on these issues? Will you repent and obey willingly, or risk an ‘ouch’ experience in which God demands your attention like He did with Jonah? We are likely to survive transitions which occur after God allows calamity, but spare ourselves trouble when we are more readily obedient.
Transitioning in our attitudes is hard work; it is hard to alter mindsets which we have grown accustomed to over a long period. Sometimes, like Jonah we feel that we do not possess the skills to be the version of us that God requires for our maturity, but evidently, running in the opposite direction will not be a viable long-term solution. As exhausted as you may feel, I pray you will trust God to handle your enemies (internal and external), repent of anything that has been a hindrance to your faith and move ahead into the path He chose for you. He will lovingly pursue you regardless, but I pray for your sake, that you transition before an ‘ouch’ moment is used to arrest your attention. Remember, our sin is lying if we say we have no sin (1 John 1: 8-10)! You may not be a prophet on the run, but if you reflect, you will be able to identify attitudes and behaviours which must be modified for you to grow or begin your journey in a relationship with God. With God’s help, our repentance and ensuing obedience may save others too as it did in Jonah’s life.
You may have already experienced ‘ouch’ moments, are on the verge of one, or are recovering from one. If you find it difficult to obey God, ask for His help. You’ll be surprised to see the ways in which He sends aid to do His will (Hebrews 13: 20-21). If all you can muster today is a minute or five minutes, keep talking to Him; He heard Jonah’s prayers of repentance, forgave him and did not alter his purpose, and He is able to do the same for you. Yes, Jonah repented and later reverted to complaining, but it is implied that he repented again; sometimes it requires repeated prayers and consistency to transition to more mature versions of ourselves. If you have not yet committed your life to the Lord, you too may call out to Him to save you like the sailors did – He hears your prayers. If you are stuck, start by reading Psalm 51. Pray for His help.
Heartfelt Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for having a relationship with me. Prompt obedience to Your will is ideal and pleases You, but I do struggle with this when I want things done my way. Please help me to hold on to trust in You in those moments, and relinquish my will for Yours. Renew my spirit to align with Your will. I pray for Your continued mercy – I know I do not deserve it and thank You for loving me unconditionally. Please help me to transition to maturity in areas where I am lagging behind. I ask these mercies in Your Son Jesus’ name. Amen.
