Jonah

The God of Second Chances

Jonah 3:1–3

This devotion is about one of the characteristics of God I’m most grateful for, and I’d guess that you are too. God is a God of second chances. I’ve needed them. You probably have too. Maybe you blew it in a relationship, made a mess of your finances, or walked away from something God called you to. We’ve all been there. And one of the most comforting truths in all of Scripture is this: God doesn’t give up on us.

Jonah 3 begins with these powerful words: “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.” That phrase should stop us in our tracks. This is the same Jonah who ran in the opposite direction from God’s call. The same Jonah who boarded a boat to Tarshish, was thrown overboard, and spent three days in the belly of a fish. He disobeyed God, rejected his calling, and nearly lost his life. And yet… “the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time.”

Friends, this is who God is. He is the God of second chances. And third chances. And fourth chances. This second word from God boldly declares that you are not disqualified by your failure. Your past doesn’t cancel God’s purpose. Jonah’s story proves that.

What’s beautiful is that the call in chapter 3 is nearly identical to the one in chapter 1: “Arise, go to Nineveh…” Same call. Same city. But this time, Jonah’s response is different. Verse 3 says, “So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.” I think we’re seeing a little bit of growth; maybe even transformation. As we’ll see, Jonah’s obedience this time isn’t perfect - he still has some heart issues to work through but it’s real. He’s learning to say yes. And that’s what God is looking for: not perfection, but progress.

So here’s the good news today: If you’ve been running, you can stop. If you’ve failed, you can get up. If you’ve disobeyed, you can come back. The word of the Lord can come to you again. God is not just the God of the first chance, he’s the God of another one. And maybe today is your second time. Where do you need a second chance today? What would it look like to say “yes” to God this time?

Pastor Ryan Paulson

by Ryan Paulson

Where Do We Run?

Jonah 2:8 Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

I think this scripture is placed in the middle of Jonah’s story to make us think. At least it was for me. What are our idols? What are we “worshiping” other than God? What is distracting us? Most things are not idols in and of themselves, but the importance we place on them causes them to be. It’s easy to think of materialistic things (idols) being a problem, but what if we are thinking of ourselves so much that God is pushed away. What if our fear of failure, like Jonah’s, causes us to run from something God wants us to do? What if playing it safe causes us to not take a leap of faith? Aren’t we actually depriving ourselves of blessings? God’s plan will be accomplished with or without us and through all of our blunders, he is merciful and sees our hearts, but he loves us enough to let us suffer our own consequences too.

So, what is our focus on? The news and politics of the day? Social media? Work? Relationships? Our health? Even exercise can be an idol when extreme. Anything that becomes the most important thing in our lives can potentially become an idol. So what do we do if we find an “idol” in our lives? First, we can ask God to reveal it to us. Secondly, we can ask for his help to remove it, and thirdly we can seek his presence more strongly and listen for the Spirit’s guidance into fuller understanding.

I understand how life can seem overwhelming sometimes, and we just want to escape from our anxious thoughts–so many different ways. My prayer today is for you and I to run to our merciful Father not away from him, and with humility seek forgiveness and restoration. He is our steadfast hope.

Deb Hill
EFCC Member

by Deb Hill

Messy Grace

Jonah 2:9-10

I’ve always loved the story of Jonah. From the time I heard the story told on the flannel graph in Sunday school to doing a deep dive study of the book to preach it, this short 4-chapter book has always pricked my heart. As I was reading it this time, one part that stood our afresh was that when Jonah finally cried out and God answered his prayer, it says, “And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” (Jonah 2:10) Jonah declares, “I’m saved!” And then he was vomited out onto dry land.

Get that picture in your mind. Jonah, lying on a beach covered in bile and guts, likely disoriented, and squinting because he’s been in pitch darkness for three straight days. That’s not exactly how I usually imagine deliverance. I’m more apt to picture salvation as clean, tidy, maybe even a little picturesque. Jonah’s salvation was anything but. He didn’t step out of the fish heroically, he was hurled out, soaked, smelly, and staggering. It was undignified. It was messy. But it was grace.

The story of Jonah calls us to remember that God’s grace is often messy. Our lives are often messy. I’m struck by the fact that Jonah’s prayer was sincere, but his life was still a wreck. And yet, God responded—not because Jonah had cleaned himself up, but because God’s grace moves toward us in our lowest places. God’s rescue wasn’t something Jonah earned. He didn’t work his way out of the fish. He simply acknowledged the truth: “Salvation comes from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). The way that salvation was realized was not with a gentle lift to safety, but with a gut-wrenching (pun intended!) push to shore. That’s messy grace—undeserved, unrefined, and unbelievably good.

Maybe that’s where you are right now. Maybe you’ve been through the storm, swallowed by regret, and are now trying to stand on shaky legs on the other side. You’re not polished, but you’re rescued. You’re not perfect, but you’re back on dry land. And that’s grace. I’m so thankful that God’s grace doesn’t wait for us to get it all together. He finds us in the deep, meets us in the belly, and sets us free - even if freedom looks more like vomit than victory.

Pastor Ryan Paulson

by Ryan Paulson

Storms

Jonah found himself in a situation that was the direct result of his own disobedience. However, being that God is a God of grace, He found a way to take what Jonah meant for evil and turn it into good. The storm, which was the consequence of Jonah’s sin, became the instrument of his eventual repentance and redirection. The truth is “storms” are an inevitable part of life, but their destructiveness can sometimes hinge on our response. They can either shake us to our core, leaving us fractured and resentful, or they can shape us into stronger, more resilient people.

There are some storms that shake us. These are the trials that breed bitterness, the adversities that erode our faith, and the hardships that leave us feeling victimized. In Jonah’s case, he initially resisted the storm, clinging to his disobedience. At this point, he probably felt anger and fear, maybe even a little righteous indignation. When storms shake us, we often focus on the injustice of our circumstances, and the unfairness of our suffering. We become fixated on the waves crashing around us, the darkness of our path, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness. This perspective leads to a downward spiral, where despair and cynicism take root, preventing us from seeing the potential for growth and transformation.

There are also storms that shape us. These are trials that build character, the adversities that deepen our empathy, and the hardships that strengthen our resolve. Jonah’s experience, though initially marked by resistance, ultimately led to a profound transformation. Within the belly of the great fish, he confronted his disobedience, acknowledged his dependence on God, and ultimately repented. In other words, the “storm” of the great fish ended up shaping him into a more obedient and compassionate servant. When storms shape us, we embrace God’s constant invitation toward change and growth.

The choice is clear. Will we allow the storms of life to shake us, leaving us shattered and disillusioned? Or will we embrace them as opportunities for growth, allowing them to shape us into individuals who take the opportunity to change and grow? Like Jonah, you may initially resist the storm, but I want you to know that you have the capacity to learn and grow from anything that life throws your way. By choosing humility, repentance, and faith, we can allow the storms to shape us into who God wants us to be.

Josh Rose
Family Pastor

by Josh Rose

Last Words

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Credit for penning this Psalm goes to Moses when he and the Israelites wandered through the desert. This experience brought to light the brevity of life and to live well (wisely), a dependence on God is vital. Jonah finds himself in that same place, though not wandering, but stuck, trapped, with nowhere to go and he finally calls out to the Lord. Making his last words count as he engages the God who never left him in conversation using the truths of Scripture tucked into his heart.

Most of my ideas of what I imagine my last moments to be like are based on the media. Things I’ve read or seen depicted on screen. What will be the last words I say to those around me? I do not know, none of us do. Frank Sinatra’s last words are recorded as “I’m losing.” I must admit these words bring sadness to my heart as they lack hope for anything beyond this life. Famously, Nostradamus predicted the end was near as his last words were “Tomorrow, at sunrise, I shall no longer be here.” And entertainer Groucho Marx said, “Die my dear? Why that is the last thing I’d do” as he remained in utter denial.

The end will come and Jonah sensed that it was coming soon for him and used the opportunity to acknowledge God’s power, seek His presence, and praise Him for deliverance. Whether he got out of the belly or not, he knew the time there would end and that that decision belonged only to the Lord. He had comfort that he was being heard and that he wasn’t alone. Isn’t that what we all want? Not to be alone in our times of distress?

What hardship are you currently facing? Do you feel alone in it? Call out to the Lord and remember the Lord hears and "Salvation comes from the LORD” (Jonah 2:9).

Jessica Klootwyk
Discipleship Director

by Jessica Klootwyk

The Beauty of Rock Bottom

Do you ever feel like you're drowning in life? No matter what you do it’s more and more difficult to get your head above water? Maybe it’s finances, bills keep coming, costs keep rising, and the unexpected happens— car breaks down, water heater goes out, the dog needs a vet. Maybe you’re drowning relationally— almost every important relationship you have seems “off”, your kids aren’t listening or wanting to talk, your spouse seems distant, criticism at work makes it feel like your sinking lower everyday. If you’re single, Mr. or Miss Wonderful just seems further and further out of reach.

We can imagine the feeling Jonah was having as he literally sank deeper and deeper down. He’d disobeyed God, and ran from him. He’d endangered the lives of innocent sailors as he knew this terrible storm was God’s way of getting his attention. And now here he was, thrown overboard into the raging sea. Surely he thought this was it, this was the end; He hadn’t trusted God, obeyed God, or even prayed to God. He just kept sinking down, down, drowning in the waves of shame and regret, drowning in the massive waves made by the God he knew and feared.

But God saw Jonah, and God wasn’t done with Jonah yet. He provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah where he stayed in the belly 3 days and 3 nights. Then Jonah did something, finally; from the belly of a huge fish, Jonah made the first right decision he’d made in some time. Jonah prayed. When Jonah hit rock bottom, he prayed. When he was in absolute darkness, when life stunk more than Jonah ever could have imagined it would—that’s when Jonah finally prayed. Verse 2 says, “from the belly of the grave I cried, Help!”. The word grave here is the Hebrew word Sheol, translated Hell in many places. It took Hell for Jonah to reach out to God.

I suggest to you today, if you feel you are drowning: depressed, discouraged, devastated by life’s circumstances, that might actually be the best place you can be. If sinking to rock bottom compels you to turn to God like Jonah, crying, HELP! Running to the one who made you, knows you and loves you most; that’s a beautiful place to be. When there’s nowhere else to go, nowhere else to turn, God’s arms are faithfully outstretched, ready to lift you up from the belly of the whale. He longs to draw you near to him, and have you walk with him, in the direction he’s always wanted for you—out of the darkness of the belly of the fish and into the light and life of Jesus himself.

Donielle Winter
EFCC Member

by Donielle Winter

The Inner Part

We all love to hear about how our parents came up with our names and maybe you’ve been there yourself. The challenge of choosing the right name is highly personal and sometimes fraught with many emotions and disagreements. All I know is that my father named me and while I ultimately don’t know why he chose it, I do know “Jessica” was one of the top 5 baby names the year I was born. Far from a choice of popularity, in biblical times naming a child helped establish their identity by carrying the symbolic weight of expressing hopes for the child’s future. It often reflected the parents’ faith and relationship with God. So let's look at the names we see in the book of Jonah. Verse 1 reveals that Jonah is the son of Amittai. The name Jonah means “dove” which is often a symbol of peace, purity, new beginnings, and the Holy Spirit. Amittai means “truth” or “faithful” which are qualities of God. These are interesting facts to know as we look for meaning in the book.

The prophet Jonah was to deliver a message to the people of Nineveh that would lead them to truth and peace with God… a new beginning. However, there was a new beginning that God hoped to birth in the messenger himself—the loathsome challenge of loving an enemy. To do this, the inner belly of the ship carried Jonah through a storm and the belly of the giant fish carried him to the physical place where God needed him. But it was the most inward parts of Jonah that carried resentment, bitterness, and hostility instead of love. It’s here in Jonah’s heart that God wanted to bring about transformation.

It’s here in our hearts too that God wants us to bend to the way of love… a way that doesn’t seem fair or to make sense. In fact, the exercise of faith often doesn’t make sense; it simply requires trust in the One who makes sense of it all. Does it make sense that “while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life” (Romans 5:8-10)? I know my own heart and no, it does not. But God. That is all… but God. He knows best and His ways higher (Isaiah 55:9).

What kind of faith is God asking you to have in Him concerning expressing His kind of love? The agape kind. Are there resentments that God is asking you to let go of? Or steps of reconciliation with someone or a group of people that God would have you take? Allow the Holy Spirit to carry your heart to new beginnings where the truth brings freedom, new life, and love that has no limits.

Jessica Klootwyk
Discipleship Director

by Jessica Klootwyk

The Gift in the Storm

Hindsight is 2020, we’ve all seen God take “bad situations” and use them for good. We are usually so focused on Jonah’s disobedience and consequences, it’s easy to overlook God’s bigger picture in this story. He was still using Jonah to bring people to himself. Jonah told the shipmen he feared God. He told them who God was. We also see God’s mercy to Jonah. He could have drowned, but that wasn’t God’s plan. He could have died in the fish, but he didn’t. Our merciful God didn’t save just one man that day.

We see in this chapter God’s plan caused the men on the ship to see him calm the sea after they finally threw Jonah overboard–that he was the all-powerful GOD, and Scripture tells us “Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows.” (Jonah 2:16) They believed that God was the one, true God.

We know God has a plan and a purpose, if we can just hold on and keep trusting, even in the storms. People around us who don’t know him, or don’t know him well, are watching. We may never know (in this life) the impact of our responses of trust and faith in the midst of a storm on those people but God knows and often reveals it to us. Jonah told the shipmen to throw him over, trusting that God would calm the seas. God then gave him a “timeout” in the fish’s belly, but protected him. That was one gift, but the second was those men on the ship who believed in the one true God for the first time.

There are so many lessons here, Jonah learned the hard way, but we are still learning as well. God is still using Jonah’s fear, disobedience, running, sharing his belief in God in the middle of a storm, to impact and change lives.

Deb Hill

by Deb Hill