Week 21
Jonah 3:10 “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented concerning the calamity which He had declared He would bring on them, and He did not do it.”
Divine mercy triumphed over justice in Nineveh, because mercy responds to repentance. God watches to see if the heart turns from the darkness to the light, because God yearns to be gracious and kind. God delights in mercy and grace poured out on sinners.
But we must be sure to remember that God’s judgment is real and certain on the unrepentant. If our hearts are hardened to God and His ways, and if we continue to refuse Him who calls us to repent, then we are preparing ourselves for the coming tsunami of punishment.
This truth must both encourage us and warn us. It encourages those who wonder if God would forgive them of their wretched sin. The early tremors of a repenting heart is fear that God will not relent of His judgment. The repenting sinner cries out for mercy to God, knowing that the first wave of judgment will sweep him away. And yet, the repenting sinner sees the wickedness and vileness of his sin; thus, he sees justice in his condemnation. If God were to crush him into eternity, the repenting sinner cries out, “God is just, God is just!” But, oh how sweet to the ears of the repentant sinner to hear God’s call to come home! When God speaks with tender tones to the repentant sinner, “The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin”, then the penitent one shouts with joy and soul-full delight, “HALLELUJAH!”
But to the stubborn and hard-hearted, this truth finds no resting place. The hardened sinner laughs at the judgment of God; the stiff-necked sinner refuses to turn from his wicked ways. And soon God’s wrath will pour out like a torrent of bitter waters cascading upon the wicked. How terrible will that hour be when no more sermons and no more calls to repent come! How tragic will be the sinner who falls into the pit of eternal destruction!
Christian friend, rejoice that God has by His sovereign mercy granted to you repentance and restoration. What glory! What majesty! What love! Heaven is filled with the voices of praise from those who were the happy recipients of divine love and grace. Let us here and now begin our joyful song to the God who saves the ungodly. Let us not wait till we hear that celestial call to eternal delight before we lift our song of praise to the God who saves. No matter our lot in this life, we are joyfully and wondrously saved from sin; our souls are rich with mercy and filled with gratitude.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for saving me! Thank You for calling me to Yourself! Thank You for Jesus and His saving work on the cross, and may I always be filled with thanksgiving and humble surrender to You in view of Your kindness to me. Amen.