DAILY MANNA - FRIDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2018

REPENTANCE AND PARDON
TEXT JONAH 3:1-10.

🔑KEY VERSE "So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sack cloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them" (JONAH 3:5).

God is merciful, full of compassion, loving kindness and slow to wrath. In His loving kindness, He cannot bring judgement without sending His warning first. When the warning is heeded, He cancels the impending judgement.

In today's text, we read about Jonah's re-commissioning, the Ninevites' repentance and God's reversal of divine judgement from Jonah, a servant of God who had earlier attempted to abdicate the path of duty, was re-engaged by God to go and preach repentance to the people of Nineveh. Jonah repented for disappointing the Lord and accepted the re-commissioning. At his preaching, the Ninevites had a national confession of their sins from the greatest to the least of them. Consequently, God looked upon them with deep compassion.

God granted the Ninevites the wonder of divine grace, not because they fasted but, because of their contrite hearts and sincere repentance. The people of Nineveh could not have greater grace than present-day sinners and backsliders, who have the sacrificial death of, and atonement by Christ, to which they may cling for pardon upon repentance.

Nineveh was to be overthrown owing to its wickedness. It is heartwarming that all the Ninevites, including their leaders, heeded the warning and turned to God in sincere repentance. As a result, God removed the judgment earlier pronounced on them. He will remove the judgment that is coming on you, if you confess your sins, ask for forgiveness and believe on the Lord Jesus. When this is done in brokenness,  contrition and humility, God will surely grant you an undeserved pardon  and mercy.

✍THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Genuine repentance brings gracious pardon.

COVER TO COVER: LUKE 18:15-19.