God calls Jonah and tells him to proclaim a message to the city of Nineveh but Jonah decides to run from God by boarding a ship going in the opposite direction. Everything started out great for Jonah but suddenly things began to go rapidly downhill. God had caused I violent storm to break out, and this storm caused the sailors to throw Jonah overboard. Then God sends a big fish to swallow Jonas and from inside the belly of that fish Jonah prayed to God. But while he was inside the belly of the fish he learned some valuable lessons:

· That God listens to the prayers of those who are running.

· That it was God who created the adversities that caused Jonah to return to Him.

· That God’s discipline is thorough.

· And, that when you run from God you miss out on His love for you.

After learning these lessons three days later God commanded the fish to vomit Jonah onto dry land.

Jonah 2:10 NIV

10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land

But what now? What happens when you decide to stop running and you return to God? The story of Jonah is a reminder of how great God’s grace and mercies are. The story of Jonah is a reminder that it doesn’t matter who you are, how far you’ve run or what you’ve done, that if you decide to return God still has a plan for your life. That God is a God of second chances.

Jonah 3:1-2 NIV

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2“Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”

God Has A Plan For Those Who Are Running From Him.

In spite of Jonas’ rebellion God still had a plan for his life and God’s plan was the same plan from the very beginning. But after all that Jonah had done the thing he least deserved was a second chance, but that is exactly what God offered him. And like Jonah at some point or in some area of our lives we’ve also run from God. But what the story of Jonah teaches us is that running from God doesn’t disqualify us from His calling in our lives, that the moment you decide to return God will discipline you for the purpose of correcting you and once He’s done so, He will take you right back to the beginning.

It’s simple, God has a plan for those who run from Him because God is a God of second chances.

Heavenly Father, thank you because with you I always have a second chance, no matter how far I’ve run from you. When I decide to return, you receive me with open arms and you continue the plan designed exclusively for me because you never give up on me.