Jonah 3:10 (NIV) When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

One of the things that God is not given credit for by unbelievers is His great mercy. That mercy is extended to any person, no matter what they have done, who repents. That's what had Jonah upset enough to try to foolishly run away from God. God had told Jonah to go to the city of Nineveh in Assyria. There was so much wickedness in that city that the Lord told Jonah to preach against it. But instead of going to Nineveh and doing what the Lord told him to do, Jonah got on a boat headed in the opposite direction. If you are wondering why Jonah did that, it was because he knew about the great mercy of God. Jonah knew that if he preached against the city and told them about God'sjudgement against them that was coming, there may be a possibility that they would repent and turn from their wickedness. Jonah didn't even want to entertain that possibilitybecause he hated the Ninevites for the trouble and misery that the Assyrians had caused Israel. He knew that God was compassionate and forgiving and that he would forgive the Ninevites if they repented.

That's why Jonah tried to run from God. But he learned quickly that there was nowhere to hide from him. As we know from scripture, the boat that Jonah was on was buffeted by a great wind that the Lord had sent and he wound up being thrown into the sea. God then sent a huge whale to swallow Jonah up, thereby saving him from drowning and giving him an opportunity to...repent. The very thing that Jonah did not want the Ninevites to have an opportunity to do, he now had to do. The God of compassionate mercy that he thought would forgive the Ninevites was the same God that he now turned to for mercy. God heard his prayers and had the whale spit Jonah out onto the shore. Jonah then obeyed God, went to Nineveh, and went through Nineveh for three days proclaiming the judgement that was coming from God. Then the Ninevites, as Jonah had feared, fasted, put on sackcloth and repented before the Lord. That's when God relented and showed them mercy. Nineveh was not destroyed at that time.

Our God is a merciful God, and thank the Lord that this is so because if it wasn't for the mercy and grace of God, none of us would remain standing. We have all messed up and have done things that are sinful and that violated the holy laws of our Creator. All of us had to rely on that mercy when our eyes were opened to our sinfulness and to the fact that we needed a Savior. As soon as we repented, we were forgiven through the blood of Jesus, notwithstanding the sinful things that we had done. The power of repentance is amazing when it comes to our God. All He needs to see is a heart that is remorseful and that is willing to turn away from sin and evil and He immediately moves in to forgive and to save. Don't hang on to any sin that will eventually ruin your life. Don't think that it is too late for you because of the things that you have done. Just like the Ninevites learned so long ago, there is power in repentance because of our merciful, gracious and compassionate God!

Pastor Joey Vazquez