Read Jonah 3:1-10

Tuesday

Read Jonah 3:1-10

Once again the LORD spoke to Jonah. 2He said, “Go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to the people the message I have given you.” 3So Jonah obeyed the LORD and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to walk through it. 4Jonah started through the city, and after walking a whole day, he proclaimed, “In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message. So they decided that everyone should fast, and all the people, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth to show that they had repented. 6 When the king of Nineveh heard about it, he got up from his throne, took off his robe, put on sackcloth, and sat down in ashes. 7He sent out a proclamation to the people of Nineveh: “This is an order from the king and his officials: no one is to eat anything; all persons, cattle, and sheep are forbidden to eat or drink. 8All persons and animals must wear sackcloth. Everyone must pray earnestly to God and must give up his wicked behaviour and his evil actions. 9Perhaps God will change his mind; perhaps he will stop being angry, and we will not die!” 10 God saw what they did; he saw that they had given up their wicked behaviour. So he changed his mind and did not punish them as he had said he would.

Think

The long story of Jonah is about him not wanting to go to Nineveh; at this point he relents - and he goes.  But the short story is the story of the Ninevites - who hear God's voice in the preaching of Jonah and turn to God.  I'm not sure which is more miraculous - a person being swallowed by a whale, or a city of people turning away from evil and toward God.

Pray

Lord we long for the miracle of repentance.  Turning away from all the evil that distracts us and toward your good to guide us.