Jonah 3 A great city is moved to Repentance

Jonah 3:4-5 Jonah started through the city, and after walking a whole day, he proclaimed, In forty days Nineveh will be destroyed! The people of Nineveh believed God's message. So they decided that everyone should fast, and all the people, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth to show that they had repented.

Jonah having been given a second chance preaches to people who are enemies of the Jews. The Ninevites respond together as a community from the King down in heartfelt repentance. They stop their normal activities and take seriously the proclamation of impending judgment. They don’t know whether this repentance will stop the destruction prophesied but they do it because they recognize that the way they have been living is wrong and they are going to do something about it. God used Jonah powerfully to turn a great city to Himself though Jonah had a major attitude problem and did not care in the least for the people he preached to. In fact he wanted them all destroyed and was angry with God when he had mercy on them. God may use us even when our hearts are not right, however we reflect God's character far better with a humble, repentant and compassionate heart.

Father, forgive our reluctance to be obedient and help us to share your concern for those who are far from you. 
P.S. I will be attempting to preach for six hours without a break on the 17th of March to raise funds for SIM and break an unofficial UK record please pray for me as I seek to open up God's word concerning his purposes. For more information see www.sim.co.uk/giles