God of Mercy: Second Chance Obedience

The LORD commands His creation; and His creation obeys.
This is true of every star and planet in the universe: "The heavens declare the glory of God…" Psalm 19:1 (NKJV).
And this is true of every animal; all creatures carry out God's purposes for them: "… the ox knows its owner and the donkey its master's crib…," Isaiah 1:3.
Creation's fulfillment of God's design is made clear in Jonah 1-2. The wind and the waves respond to God sovereign purposes. So, too, the great fish prepared for Israel's runaway prophet:
"So the LORD spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah out onto dry land," Jonah 2:10.
What a sad state! A fish uniquely prepared by God to carry out His purposes obeyed; a man uniquely made in God's image to carry out His purposes disobeyed.
But the gospel is an even greater outrage, don't you think?
God so often is pleased to give His disobedient people another opportunity to step into His purposes for them, another chance at obedience:
"Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time..." Jonah 3:1.
We hope to see you here this Sunday as we consider, "God of Mercy: Second Chance Obedience."