Jonah 3-4  The Lord rescued Jonah out of the depths of the sea and the belly of a great fish.. and then..  he sends him once again.. to Nineveh..   Jonah obeys this time.. and proclaims God's edict, "Yet forty days and Nineveh will be overthrown." 

What happens next is truly amazing.. the whole great city.. including the king.. repents!  They take off their garments, clothe themselves in sackcloth, sit on ashes.. and fast.  No food or drink for man or beast.. only repentance and prayer.  The king proclaims a decree.. " .. and let men call on God earnestly, that each may turn from his wicked way and from his violence.. who knows, God may turn and relent, and withdraw HIs burning anger so that we shall not perish... " ( v8-9)

God did see. God did relent. 

And Jonah?... he became angry.  Jonah didn't want God to save Nineveh.  He didn't want the God who he knew was "gracious and compassionate.. slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness.. "  to relent.  So, he went outside the city and watched what happened.  

God had another lesson for Jonah.  He sent a plant that grew miraculously and provided shade for Jonah as he sat pouting and wanting to die.  Then God sent a worm the next day to eat the plant he provided.. and Jonah again wanted to die.  God spoke to Jonah about his anger over the plant.. "You had compassion on the plant for which you did not work and which you did not cause to grow... and should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as animals?" 

God saw what Jonah could or would not.. young children would have been condemned along with the sinful citizens of Nineveh.. had they not repented.  Repentance comes from the Lord. This was His work and the lesson is vital.. God IS compassionate and gracious!  He will relent.. He will restore.. He will save. Hallelujah! 

As I read this familiar story I wonder.. would  Americans take the warning of Jonah as seriously as Nineveh did? Would anyone.. say in New York City..  or any city, really... put on sackcloth.. sit on ashes.. fast from food and water.. and repent..  to save their city? Would we?

Father in heaven, may we hear the voice of Your servants.. may we take seriously the Word of God and truly repent of all wickedness and violence.. of hatred and injustice.. of immorality and impurity.. of all sin that encompasses our cities and towns... and our hearts.. Father, bring the Truth and let it ring out across our nation and may men and women everywhere fall to their knees in repentance.. calling on You earnestly.. that we might not perish. Have Your way in us, O Lord..  We ask this in the powerful name of our Savior, Christ Jesus. Amen.