Unfair GraceSample

We’ve seen that God delights to show us mercy, and sometimes He has to take drastic measures to get our attention. Today, we’re going to ponder what happens when God keeps coming after us. God gives us second and third chances, and we’re grateful that it doesn’t stop there. Through the story of Jonah, we have seen how everything in creation is in tune with God. The fish and the mighty storms (later in chapter 4 we’ll see the worm) all work in perfect harmony according to God’s will. He gave us (humans) free will so that we could choose to be in a relationship with Him! We are His! We are made in HIS IMAGE!

So, when we get that 2nd, 3rd, or 10th chance, we might think our relationship with God is affected. However, it is intact! Ch 3, V1: "Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah." God was starting over again, reaffirming that Jonah was His man! He was the one who was going to accomplish the mission. When Jonah was ready, God restarted the relationship at that same level. He didn’t make Jonah jump through hoops to earn his trust. He didn’t change the task. He didn’t demote him or give him some other task. So, no matter how far we’ve fallen away, we must remember that God’s character doesn’t change, and His love for us doesn’t change. He paid a heavy price for us and we are bought by the blood of His son, Jesus Christ.

God transforms the person for the task instead of changing the task. Once Jonah was done with his running, pity party, and disobedience, God was waiting for him to make that change. God gave him the task again and proceeded with the relationship.

Are we also in that same place? Have we gone away from God and thought that we must fix the relationship? There is nothing we have to do to earn God’s trust again. All we need to do is repent and come back to Him. The closer we get to God, the more transformed our lives become!

In ch 3, v1, we see again the instruction to Jonah: arise, get up, and go. This task is not something that is easy, it is making you go out of your comfort zone. Arise! God doesn’t give us all the details; he gives us one step at a time. He wants our obedience each step of the way. Many times we try to bargain with God and get the whole plan without obeying the first step. God expects us to obey in faith. What is that in our lives that God has commanded that we don’t obey? Making disciples? Getting baptized? We want to do other things, but we haven’t been faithful or obedient in the small things that God has commanded us to do. Let’s not bargain with God, we know His plans and purposes are higher and greater than ours, let Him lead us!