Our Merciful God

There are many lessons from the book of Jonah. Today we are going to look at the mercy God shows and His goodwill towards us. We learned in the previous post that Jonah was sent to preach to the people of Nineveh and warn them to repent so they would not be destroyed. The people of Nineveh repented and sought mercy from the Lord, He forgave them and did not destroy the city. 

‭‭Jonah‬ ‭3:8-10 ‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

 [8] But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily to God; yes, let everyone turn from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands. [9] Who can tell if God will turn and relent, and turn away from His fierce anger, so that we may not perish? [10] Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way, and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them, and He did not do it.

This shows us that our God is merciful and when we ask for forgiveness and repent from our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. In Psalm 103:10-14, we see the beauty of God's mercy portrayed in grand style,

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭103:10‭-‬14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

[11] For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; [12] As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. [13] As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him. [14] For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.

https://bible.com/bible/114/psa.103.11.NKJV

The word of God also teaches us that God is gracious and desires all men to repent from their sins.

‭II Peter‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭NKJV‬

[9] The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

This is a call to us all to live in the light of His Word and in obedience to Him because our God is a just and merciful God.