He's Still Working On Me - Jonah 3-4

There is a children’s church song titled “He’s Still Working On Me.” The message is that God created the whole universe in 6 days, but “He’s still working on me”! Jonah could have sung that song in earnest!

When God finally convinces Jonah that preaching to Ninevah is a non-negotiable, the most unimaginable, unpredictable, miraculous event occurred; Ninevah repented! Jonah knew this would happen, and that’s why he didn’t want to go in the first place. He didn’t want Ninevah to repent. Now that they have repented, he would rather die! What!?! Why in the world would a prophet of God despise people repenting?

Ninevah was the most ruthless, cruel, pagan nation known to man during Jonah’s time. They were Israel’s worse nightmare; they were Israel’s enemies. And God sent His man with a message of judgment in order to bring them to repentance. Now Jonah would return home not just as a prophet, meaning he was disliked anyway, but as the prophet who was responsible for Ninevah’s revival. He would rather die!

So as this incredible, fast-paced, miracle-filled book comes to a close, it is not about big storms, big fish, or big revivals as much as it is about the ongoing, daily, patient, persistent work of God in the life of His servant Jonah! God uses a little worm to destroy a little plant, sends a scorching wind and searing heat, and teaches Jonah a lesson on compassion. The story ends. We know that Ninevah, those wicked, vile people, repented of their actions against God. We don’t know if Jonah, the prophet of God, repented of his sinful attitude. However, we do know that we have something in common with Jonah, “He’s Still Working On Me.”