August 22

This time Jonah got up and went to Nineveh, in accordance with the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly great city, requiring a three-day journey. — Jonah 3:3 BSB

Jonah learned his lesson well. Though we don’t know exactly where he was after his deliverance, we can imagine that he had time to reflect. He likely thought over his rebellion and disobedience and felt ashamed. This period of reflection humbled him and prepared him to obey God’s command. In fact, Jonah was likely eager for another chance to complete the task he had once refused.

There’s a story of a regiment of soldiers that had been dishonored in battle. In the next war, they displayed great heroism at the first opportunity, “burning out the shame” of their earlier failure. In a similar way, Jonah, in his repentance, longed for another opportunity to go to Nineveh and wipe away the dishonor of his former disobedience.

This time, Jonah obeyed promptly—no excuses, no running away. We can learn from his example. When we fail in a task that God has given us, our repentance should not only lead to sorrow and confession but also to a sincere effort to correct our mistake. By serving God with love and obedience, we can wipe away the shame of past failures and make our repentance complete.