Description
The Power of Repentance: A Lesson from Jonah
In this episode, we explore the significance of repentance through the sto… (visit YouTube for more)
Transcript
What is the point of repentance? Well, let’s take an example from Jonah chapter 3, verse 10. When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.
The context here is that Jonah has gone to Nineveh, He’s reluctantly preached to them and said that you are going to be demolished by God. And unexpectedly, the people of this great and terrible city have listened, and they’ve immediately repented.
They’ve said, let us all turn away from our evil, and maybe then, maybe, God will stay his hand. And he did.
God wants to give us lots of opportunities to repent, all of us. He does not want to bring his judgment against us, he loves us too much for that.
Justice demands punishment. But if we just do the things the way that God is asking us to do, if we just repent and say sorry for the things we ought to say sorry for, he is all too ready to say, the punishment has fallen on Jesus, and I relent of the disaster that is due to you.
This is the beauty of repentance. It puts us immediately back into good relationship with God. And these people of Nineveh, they weren’t very good people and see how God poured his mercy out on them.
Unfortunately, they went back to their sinning ways and ultimately that fate overtook them. The fate they could have avoided had they remained in a penitent state before God.
But still see the mercy and the love of God. He is very quick to withdraw his wrath and to pour his love and grace and mercy on anyone who will turn their face to him.
Thank you God that you are slow to anger and quick to love and mercy. Thank you that you have relented of the disaster that would befall those of us who have now accepted Jesus. Please help us not to be hard hearted and reject you. Amen.
