Daily Devotionals

Voice of the Lord

Devotional: 7th of Teves

The word of ADONAI came to Yonah a second time: "Set out for the great city of Ninveh, and proclaim to it the message I will give you" (Jonah 3:2).

If there was ever anyone in need of a second chance from God, it was Yonah (Jonah). Having ignored the express command of God to go and preach to Ninveh (Nineveh), he ran in the opposite direction and ended up in the belly of a big fish. Disobedience to God may seem attractive at times, but the consequences are always deadly. Jonah learned that truth the hard way and turned from his sin in repentance. God is always quick to forgive in response to genuine repentance. He gave Yonah a second chance. But notice, God gave him a second chance to make right what he had done wrong. His first responsibility after getting out of the fish was to go to Ninveh.

When we repent, it's not enough to say, "I'm sorry." The question is, "What are we going to do to make it right?" God gave Yonah a chance to make it right and Jonah proved his repentance genuine by obeying God and going to Ninveh.When we go to God in repentance, it's not enough to say, "I'm sorry." God wants to know, "What will you do now to make it right?" I saw a bumper sticker one day that read, "If you love Jesus don't honk, obey."Well put!

God is a God who gives second, third, fourth, yes, even fifth chances. But the chance he always offers us is to obey him and make things right. Here is a little piece of Jewish wisdom: if God has given you a second chance to do something right, go and do it.

...take advantage of the opportunity God has given me to make right what has been wrong and to obey him.

DB