“Repentance, Perhaps?” Jonah Chapter 2
What does it mean to say, “I’m sorry,” and actually mean it? If you think about it, we often say “sorry” in life for and about a lot of things without ever truly feeling sorry for them. For instance, I am sometimes sorry that I got myself into a situation. I’m terrible about goofing up and forwarding emails not meant to be forwarded. I am often sorry—not that I forwarded something—but that I’m now in the mess it caused. We often say sorry to a lot of people and in many situations. It’s greatly overused much like the word, “love.”
Sometimes, though, we need to actually live what it means to be sorry—to say it truly and to actually feel every ounce of the meaning of that root word of sorrow. When we say sorry, in the truest and purest sense, it should affect both our heart and mind, bringing grief for what we have done as well as a desire to change and do or live better in our lives. This is how we actually live the meaning of repentance and have repentant lives for what we have done wrong. So, let’s look at that idea of repentance and how it is a state of examination for those who believe, the difference between the words of repentance and a heart of repentance, and how this affects our desire to live into the Gospel of deliverance and healing.
First we see in the Bible that repentance was something directed towards the religious, designed to call them into a state of examination of themselves. In verse 4, Jonah says, “O Lord, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.” Jonah knew that he had messed up royally, and God was not happy with him. If anything, during his time in the fish’s belly, he definitely learned of God’s displeasure with his willful disobedience. And, I believe that Jonah knew he needed to look towards God, or towards the Temple where sacrifices and penance were made, to be redeemed from his wrongdoing. Jonah was God’s prophet, God’s chosen one, yet he needed to repent.
If we read in other parts of the Bible, we see that Jesus often preached not only to the Jewish believers but also to the Pharisees, who were the supposed leaders of the faith. We also read in Acts 3 that Peter preached in the Temple. These were not areas where the unwashed masses or vast unbelievers would be found. These were the faithful, the religious, the followers, and to them God spoke the word, “Repent.” We even read in II Chronicles 7 those famous words we all like to quote on Independence Day, “If my people…will humble themselves and pray.” We don’t hear “those people” or “other people.” The words are my people. That is because we are not exempt, just as Jonah was not exempt. The Pharisees and the faithful of Jesus’s day needed to hear that word spoken calling them to repent. Perhaps the lesson is—if we think everything is fine and we need to make no changes nor room to grow, then we probably are the very ones in need of repenting.
Likewise, we must realize from Jonah that there is a difference between simply the words of repentance and having a heart of repentance. In this chapter, we read that Jonah spoke all the right words—his prayer is moving and powerful. But as we see later in Jonah, it’s just words. If you look closely, there’s nowhere in here that he fully embraces the idea of “I’m sorry for disobeying, please forgive me.” He talks in one quick phrase about offering sacrifices and vows, but it’s just a passing thought. Jonah spoke the right words, but his heart is not surrendered, nor is his heart truly repentant.
It reminds me of the parable of the pharisee and publican. Both came to pray before God. One boasted in his own abilities and condemned others in his prayer. The other begged humbly for God’s mercy. Saying “I’m sorry” to someone (or to God) is pointless if you don’t actually mean it. And anyone who does not offer a heartfelt sorry in their life or who hasn’t felt true repentance has no room for Christ in his or her heart.
It reminds me of the old hymn, “Is thy heart right with God—cleansed and made holy, humble, and lowly, right in the sight of God?” As theologian Karl Rahner said, “The number one cause of atheism is Christians. Those who proclaim him with their mouths and deny him with their actions is what an unbelieving world finds unbelievable.” We must pray, “Lord, tune my heart to sing your praise!” We must live lives where faith and Christ’s love call us to true repentance and a change in our thoughts and actions. And that word is preached to both the church members and those who have no faith. If you and I have no heart for repentance and change, how can we expect anyone else to do so?
Finally, we see how this change in our lives calls us to live a Gospel that offers deliverance and healing. God called Jonah to go and preach to Nineveh because God wanted to save and deliver the city. And in verse 9, Jonah says, “I will fulfill all my vows.” He’s still neither agreeable nor willing, but he has learned he really has no choice at this point as he is God’s prophet. This call to heal and deliver requires us to have priorities like Jesus did. Jesus prioritized those in need: of grace, of living water, of sight, of healing because they were injured, lame, and sick, of welcome because were cast out of society for whatever reason. That, right there, is a gospel which speaks loudly and speaks of Christ’s grace.
Author Beth Moore writes, “When the [G]ospel has become bad news to the poor, to the oppressed, to the broken hearted and imprisoned, and the good news to the proud, self-righteous, and privileged instead, it is no longer the gospel of or Lord Jesus Christ.” If the Gospel no longer speaks in our world, through us as Christ’s changed and redeemed people, then people will find the Gospel is no longer needed in their lives. In the end no faithful one will be left. Christ’s words are seen and lived by us. Nineveh, as we will soon read, was changed because a prophet finally dared to walk into their city and speak God’s word. That word meant something and made a difference to them. And living and speaking that prophetic Gospel word can still make a difference today.
Would we say Jonah was sorry? I think in some ways he was. He was sorry he was in a whale or big fish. He was sorry he got in trouble. He was sorry he caused a mess for the sailors on that boat. But was he sorry he disobeyed and put his selfishness before God’s call? That’s a tougher question, isn’t it? Our words must be accompanied both by right actions and by changed hearts, hearts tuned to God. So, maybe we should wrap up with saying, “Let us be a sorry people.” In so saying, I pray that makes us a people of respect, love, and care. I pray that makes us a people who are willing to repent and do better not because we have to, but because we know it is the right thing to do. Let us be a people and a church that prayerfully and wholly say, “All to thee my blessed Savior, I surrender all.”
Worship Video: https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/314042303154067