The Gift of Repentance

CONSIDER THIS

We’ve all heard Jonah’s fish story. Jonah was quite the runner. He did everything he could to run from God’s will. And ended up in the fish’s belly. Maybe we thought Jonah was punished when he was swallowed by the great fish. 

Look at it again. The fish is actually God’s rescue of Jonah, not his punishment. Jonah was sinking in the depths of the sea and God picks him up. He uses a fish to do it, but He does it nonetheless. God pursued Jonah and brings him to a place of repentance.

As it turns out, the story isn’t about the fish, Jonah or those undeserving Ninevites. It’s about God. It’s about His goodness, His grace, His mercy. He’s always pursuing sinners and runners, not to punish but to restore — pointing ultimately to Jesus.

The question is simple: Do you believe God? If you do, you’ll accept His gift of repentance. Jesus made a way for us to turn around to walk in a different direction *with* Him. You see, repentance is not a feeling, not an emotion, not a “Oops! I’m sorry!” True repentance is an action, a turning to God, a running to Him — not away from Him, trusting in Him alone. Jesus makes reconciliation possible. Accept His gift today. Turn. Believe. Trust. He’s been there all along.