Focus
Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.
Read
Jonah 3:1-5, 10 (NRSV)
The word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.
…
When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.
Reflect
What’s this? God changed God’s mind? So says the book of the prophet Jonah! God had every intention of destroying Nineveh (capital of the Assyrian empire). The wickedness of the city could no long be endured by the Holy One. Yet unwilling to give up entirely on the people, God called Jonah to warn the Ninevites of their coming destruction. Jonah did not want to go to Nineveh and tried to run away.
Today’s reading begins after Jonah’s well-known deliverance from the great fish that swallowed him at sea. Here we learn of God’s second call to Jonah to preach to the Ninevites. And just look at what happened when they heard God’s messenger! They believed God and repented! A fast was proclaimed and everyone dressed in sackcloth. Even the king feared what God would do and sat in ashes (3:6-9). He said, “Who knows? God may relent and change his mind.”
But before the mind of God changed, the Ninevites changed their minds. And before the people changed their minds, Jonah finally went to declare God’s word. Could it be that God keeps calling us to change our minds and follow God’s call?
Pray
Great God, we hear your call. Grant us courage to follow your lead and determination to do your will. Amen.
Go with God.
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