Assyria was a powerful and cruel nation whose armies used every kind of atrocity in war to drive fear into their opponents. We might think that Jonah would have been happy to go and preach against it. But instead, he was horrified at God’s directive. It wasn’t just fear that made him run from God. It was the knowledge that this call could only mean one thing. If God was sending a prophet to convict them of their evil, it was only because God was giving them a chance to turn from their evil ways and find grace. This is why Jonah ran from God (see 4:2). He didn’t want them to be given a chance to turn around. But this is what God does. He pursues people unceasingly to turn them to himself. When Jonah himself rebelled against God’s command, God sent the storm to turn him around. God even used Jonah’s rebellion to turn around the lives of the crew of the ship. If you ever stray from God, then know this: God will pursue you. He will do anything and everything to get you back, even if this means placing an almighty storm in your path. That’s how much he loves you. God commanded the elements, and even sent a whale to swallow Jonah alive. That was an expression of God’s commitment to Jonah. But not just to Jonah. This was an expression of God’s desire to turn the Ninevites from their sin. Truly, God so loves the world!
Ask God to do whatever it takes to turn you back to him if you have strayed.
Read Jonah 1
