Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’” –Jonah 3:1-2

Jonah 3 is a glorious reminder of God’s grace and mercy. You may read Jonah 3 here: Bible Gateway.

Although God’s deliverance of Jonah involved a fish vomiting him out (Jonah 2:10), he was given another chance to fulfill His purpose. And though Jonah’s heart remained callous in going to Nineveh, he must have been filled with awe that God would still choose him to be the first missionary to a pagan people.

The Bible contains many second chance stories. Here are a couple of examples of God gracing individuals with His mercy.

Aaron

Aaron—Moses’ brother—may have seemed to spend more time on the sidelines compared to Moses. But God still had a high calling on his life. He not only served as Moses’ mouthpiece before Pharaoh, but also served as a pillar of support. When Moses became weary, Aaron helped hold up his hands in prayer as the Israelites waged war against the Amalekites.

While Moses received God’s instructions on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 28) of Aaron’s garment design and his consecration, things began to sour back at camp. Exodus 32:1-5 tells of the Israelites’ rebellion. Moses must have been shocked, but God knew of their rebellious theatrics all along. However, God still gave Aaron a second chance by allowing him to serve as Israel’s first high priest. He would be mediator between God and His chosen people. (The Great Discipline highlights the consequences of those who chose to remain in rebellion, along with the fate of those who returned to God.)

Sarah

God gave Abraham’s wife, Sarah, a promise: She would become a mother of an entire nation of people through her own son. Although Abraham and Sarah displayed extraordinary faith in God by leaving Ur to go to an unknown place, the news that she would birth a son in her old age—after years of infertility—resulted in laughter. After waiting 10 years, Sarah decided to help God out by offering Abraham her maidservant Hagar. The result? An illegitimate son, Ishmael, was born. Although God would still bless Ishmael, the chosen seed belonged to another. Heartache and stress resulted from their decision to forge ahead of God’s time table. But God still blessed Sarah by enabling her to give birth to the promised son (Gen. 17:17-21).

Hopefully you are on track with God’s plan and not slipping down the slide of rebellion as Jonah did, (or dodge God’s directive(s) like I’ve done before). Although there are consequences for our disobedience, I’m so glad God is a second-chance-giver. Yes, He is the Great Judge, but He is also the Master Mender, Beauty-for-ashes Exchanger, and Hope Healer. Restoration is ours when we return to Him. Do you recall a time when God gave you another chance to fulfill something He asked of you?