"God loves to give you a second chance!"

Poet Louise Tarkington wrote a composition entitled “The Land of Beginning”. Here's an extract ~

I wish that there were some wonderful place
Called the Land of Beginning Again
Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches
And all of our selfish grief
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat by the door
And never be put on again...

I wish that there were some wonderful place

Called The Land Of Beginning Again.

(website reference ~ http://www.poeticexpressions.co.uk/life.htm)

As we continued Journeying With Jonah today through chapter 3, we discovered that Jonah’s 'deep-sea' experiences remind us that there is such a place of forgiveness, and that the God we love and serve longs to use repentant lives for His honour and glory.

Upon being returned to 'dry land' Jonah found out three important truths about God's forgiving nature…

1. God loves to give us 'second chances' to serve Him well ~ "...the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time..." (3:1)
2. God always has a plan for our lives and our failings don't prevent its unfolding ~ "...arise and go..." (3:2) ~ I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you...and give you a future with hope!
3. God goes great things with our obedience ~ "The Ninevites believed God. ...everyone called urgently on God [and] gave up their evil ways and their violence" (3:5,8) ~ Because of Jonah’s obedience God’s power moved a whole city to repentance.

God, in His limitles grace, treats us in the same way as Jonah ~ providing we are truly repentant and obedient!