The people of Ninevah repent and God withholds his wrath on the city. This should mean some kind of celebration from Jonah right? Wrong. Jonah has a spiteful heart. A spiteful, self-centered heart is sick. As he has throughtout the entire book, Jonah holds a mirror up to our lives and makes us examine our hearts.

When was the last time you're amazed by God? In Jonah chapter 3 we see God at work in an amazing way in the city of Ninevah. Today, God continues to give grace that none of us deserve. We need only repent to experience this amazing grace.

We have come to the most famous part in the book of Jonah...the "big fish." If this part of the story has ever caused you pause, it's ok. God is big enough for our questions and, as with Jonah, He is big enough for our mess. Whatever mess you find yourself in today you can be encouraged that God saves us out of our mess.

As we continue our study through the book of Jonah we find our main character running physically and spiritually from God. The further Jonah runs the more we see God demonstrating his sovereignty over Jonah himself and the people he comes in contact with. Are you running from God? Let Jonah offer you warning and encouragement that it is foolish to run from God and that God is always ready to take you back. 

Despite what you may have learned in Sunday School, the book of Jonah is not about a big fish. Jonah tells the story of our great God, His sovereignty, and His love for you, me and the nations. Much like the rest of God's Word it requires us to look at ourselves and see where God would challenge us to encounter Him in a personal way.