Jonah: Progression Over Perfection

Jackson GarrellUncategorized

What comes to mind when you think of the story of Jonah? For most people, it’s one obvious answer: a fish. We think of this story exclusively as “Jonah and the Whale.” That’s what kids color during Vacation Bible School. That’s the theme of the mural in the church nursery. That’s even what some study Bibles site as the subtext of this story. This whole book is often boiled down to a guy and his fish friend. Sure, that’s a major theme, but this is far from a fish story. 

Jonah’s tale is not merely about a whale; it’s about God’s way being the best way. It’s not merely about a sea creature; it’s about second chances. Jonah had directly experienced the presence of God, but ignored it. As a matter of fact, he ran from it. He thought that jumping on a boat would help him get away. He assumed that getting thrown in the sea would get him away from his calling. He assumed that he could just force it out of his mind and go on to live his life outside the presence of God. Here is the truth we’re all forced to face: God’s presence is inescapable. I’ve heard people ask, “Where is God?” That’s like a fish asking, “Where is water?” He’s all around you. His presence is as close as the air you breathe. You can run from God, but you can not outrun God. 

Jonah’s isn’t just a story about rebellion. It’s about hope. It shows that God will chase us down. No matter how far we go, how rebellious we are, or how much we mess up, God will pursue us. The presence of God is healing when you seek it and haunting when you run from it. God will pick you up, dust you off, and help place you on the right path. There is good news for Jonah, you, and me— God always offers a second chance. 

READ: Jonah 3:1-5
“Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, three days’ journey in breadth. Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s journey. And he called out, “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” And the people of Nineveh believed God. They called for a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.”

In verse three, we see a single word that packs a serious punch. It says that God came to Jonah a second time. This isn’t just about Jonah’s circumstances. It’s about God’s character. It illustrates that God is a God of second chances. Whenever we make a mistake, God extends a second chance to us. It doesn’t matter how far we run, how badly we behave, or how many times we make the same mistake, God is ready to give you another shot.

Have you ever stumbled into a totally random section of Youtube? You don’t know how you got there, but now you’re watching strange videos completely off your original topic. That happened to me recently. I was watching some hockey highlights. Then after a few clicks, I was stumbled upon people making amazing art using an Etch-a-Sketch. It was memorizing. I can only make a line, box, and staircase on mine, but these YouTube personalities were making replicas of Starry Night by Van Gogh. 

Have you ever played with an Etch-a-Sketch? It’s a red, retro toy where you spin two little knobs that help you draw little lines on the grey screen. In the South, we used to use them as computers (kidding.) I played with them as a kid, but I could never make more than a straight line or a square. I used to work on writing my name with laser focus just to turn the knob the wrong direction. Suddenly, it was ruined. My beautiful signature had a random line going right through it. What do you do when you make a mistake on an Etch-a-Sketch? You just shake it. In an instant, the screen is clear, and you have a new opportunity to try again. 

God is the same way. Whenever you mess up, make a mistake, move the wrong way, or do something that makes zero sense at all, you can have a clean slate instantly. If you messed up and let someone into your life that you know you shouldn’t have, Jesus will give you a second chance. If you have gotten yourself caught up in an addiction, turn to Jesus, and He will help make things new for you. If you have gotten carried away with lying and are worried that people will never trust you again, trust in Jesus as He helps you mend those broken relationships. 

Some people treat God more like a Magic 8-ball. You think His interactions with you are all a mystery. You pray for forgiveness, but you only receive some vague impersonal message. God is not a Magic 8-ball God; He’s an Etch-a-Sketch God! He’s ready to make things new for you. It doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what you’ve done, or how messy things have gotten. God will give you a fresh start. 

I know that some of you feel as though you’re on your hundredth second chance with God. You’d gotten things back on track, but you’re now stuck in the same struggle. There is no threshold to God’s forgiveness. No one on Earth is on their first take. We have all fallen short. We have all made mistakes. We have all broken trust. All you have to do is turn back to Jesus, and He will give you a second chance— then another and then another. God will never run out of second chances for you. 

Jesus is not calling you to perfection; He’s calling you to progression. 

TALK IT OUT 
Go through these questions with your circle. Be honest. Be open. Talk through the tough stuff.
Q1: What’s the biggest takeaway you learned from the story of Jonah?
Q2: When has someone given you a second chance? How did it impact you? 
Q3: What does Jonah 3:1-5 teach us about God?
Q4: How does accepting God’s forgiveness and second chances help us progress? 
Q5: What’s one area in life where you’re hoping for a fresh start? How can you move forward in faith towards healing?