What's The Big Deal About Repentance?

Repentance is a word that you don’t often hear in the workplace or in casual conversations outside of the church. So what is repentance? What does it really mean? If we are to repent, as the Bible has instructed, we must make sure that we have turned from our sin and have not offered God a mere apology.

Jonah 1:1-15 tells us the all-too-familiar story of Jonah. The occurrence of a man, called by the Lord to minister to Nineveh, a place of sin so great, that it needed some serious attention. Jonah was that man, and he was aware of Nineveh, and its ways. So instead of following the command of God, Jonah got on the first boat going as far away from Nineveh as he could get! He paid his fare, and to Tarshish Jonah sailed.

One could ask; “What caused Jonah to run and completely disobey God’s will?" could it be what they would say of this stranger coming to their homeland and telling them they live in a state of such terrible wickedness? God’s calling on our lives, as with Jonah, will push us from our comfort zones, into a place where we can fully trust Him. We must obey God to please God. Even if those times of obedience are not to our liking.

As the story continues, a great wind comes across the seas, rocking the boat is which Jonah was fast asleep. (1:5) The mariners began crying out to their gods, and woke Jonah asking him to pray to his God and maybe he would save them. The mariners knew Jonah was a Hebrew, and that he was running from the presence of the Lord because Jonah had told them so. In the fear of perishing in the storm, the mariners asked Jonah what could they do so the seas would be calmed.(1:8-11) God found a way to get Jonah’s attention. We learn that God’s purpose and will for lost people will be accomplished; even if he has to send a torrential storm to get our attention.

Jonah became very aware of what needed to be done to save those around him. He told the mariners to cast him into the sea, and it would be calmed. So, despite their own good judgment and attempts to get to dry land, the mariners did as Jonah instructed, and cast him overboard. (1:13-15) Jonah knew his environment had to change to put himself in a position for God to show up.

The passage continues that God had prepared a great fish- one that the Lord had planned in advance for the rescue of Jonah from the sea.(1:17) Despite Jonah’s disobedience and his flight from the God. It is here, in the belly of the great fish, that Jonah repents for his sin. Jonah prays: (2:2-9)

“ I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction,
And He answered me.
“ Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
³ For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
⁴ Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
⁵ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
⁶ I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O LORD, my God.
⁷ “ When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the LORD;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.
⁸ “ Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
⁹ But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the LORD.”

God then commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.

Acts 17:30 states, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” The time to repent is NOW. In the midst of our storm, we need to repent and return to His calling. 1 John 1:9 instructs us to confess our sins and forsake our sins! To turn 180 degrees toward God, to where we are facing Him. If we can recognize God in our situation then we can change our lives and potentially the lives of others.

So, have you repented today?

Praise God that in our times of disobedience, he still prepares our rescue!