Jonah 3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.
Romans 8:24-25 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
When the prophet Jonah entered Nineveh, he gave a message of hopelessness — in 40 days your city will be destroyed! He did not say, Nineveh will be destroyed “unless“, but emphatically prophesied destruction to the people of the city — seeming to say their situation was hopeless. Yet hearing this message Nineveh repented, and because their repentance was genuine God spared the city for a season and many lives were saved. Jonah’s prophecy of judgment was averted, and Nineveh’s destiny was changed by their response to the deep conviction from a message of doom. That’s how it is with God. He is so compassionate, so longing to forgive and restore people to Himself, that He seems to “change His mind” showing how His mercy triumphs over judgment.
Is there a “prophecy of doom” over your life? Are your sins piled so high that God’s judgment seems irrevocable and imminent? Don’t despair … repent! With our compassionate God, there is hope even when it seems all is lost. You may have wandered very far from Him — but if Nineveh, a pagan city, hardened and ripe for judgment and “hopelessly” heading toward destruction, could be saved — shouldn’t you also have hope if you turn back to the Lord? Don’t give up — with Yeshua (Jesus) there is always hope!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Most people have never heard of "Auntie Cooke", but I guarantee you that you'll get to know her in glory! She arrived in Chicago in 1868 as a perfect stranger, but she immediately became involved in D.L. Moody's church when he was just thirty-one years old. She described him years later, as a 'diamond in the rough', and someone who needed the divine unction and power.
Pregnancy in a woman involves the intimate, meticulous development of a human life in her womb. The Hebrew word for womb is "rechem". The verb, "rachem" (with the same root letters) means to love, to love deeply, to have mercy and to be compassionate. The connection in Hebrew between "womb" and "love" or "compassion" is literally visceral. A mother's love for her baby, so natural, deep, tender and compassionate, beautifully exemplifies our Father’s love for us. He is compassionate and merciful toward his human creatures.
Last night, my wife decided to stay up late to watch the opening night of the Messiah Conference by live stream Internet (a huge gathering of Messianic Jews and Israel loving Christians from all over the world, taking place annually in Harrisburg Pa). Low and behold, who's voice came through the loudspeakers but Riv's, as a dance troupe danced beautifully to her song "Kes Harachamim" (Mercy Seat). How cool!
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