Unlikely

Unlikely. That was the word on which we focused this morning. Jonah was an unlikely prophet, sent with an unlikely message to an unlikely people. Jonah's repentance may have been unlikely, but more unlikely still was the message he was asked to share with them. No soft sell here. Simply, "God hates your wicked ways and offers you utter destruction. From that unlikely message comes a most unlikely response - the people of Nineveh repent. Here's my question: Do we really believe that people can repent (realign)? I ask this because I have found myself failing to share God's message. When I take a deeper look at the reason I didn't share, often times it's because deep down inside I don't believe people will respond. Am I the only one who has experienced this? What things keep you from sharing God's message most often?

Got Repentance?

Today, our SeeWorld series focused on the second chapter of Jonah. A casual reading of the narrative might lead you to the conclusion that Jonah repents while in the belly of the fish. But a careful study of the ten verse prayer reveals 26 references to "I", "me", "my" and "mine" with only two lines failing to have a reference to Jonah himself. Consider taking a few moments to read all four chapters of Jonah. Pay special attention to Jonah's attitude. Do you see the ten verses of chapter two as true and authentic repentance? What do you believe to be evidence of true repentance? Was does authentic prayer mean to you? What was your takeaway from the passage today?