redeem your yesterday
Scripture: “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.’” — Jonah 3:1–2 (ESV)
We’ve all had moments we wish we could erase — times when we ran from responsibility, hurt someone we love, or ignored what we knew was right. Jonah knew that feeling well. God had told him to go to Nineveh, but Jonah ran in the opposite direction. He bought a ticket to Tarshish, boarded a ship, and tried to escape God’s call. But God’s grace is relentless.
A storm stopped Jonah’s escape plan, and a great fish became his unexpected rescue. After three days of repentance and reflection, Jonah was spit out onto dry land. And then — in one of the most beautiful verses in Scripture — we read:
“The word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time.”
Those few words reveal the heart of God. He didn’t discard Jonah for failing. He didn’t say, “You had your chance.” Instead, He gave Jonah a fresh start. God didn’t need Jonah — He chose him again out of grace.
That’s what God still does today. He gives second chances to people who think they’ve run too far or fallen too hard. Maybe that’s where you are right now. You’ve made mistakes. You’ve said “no” when God asked for “yes.” But His call hasn’t changed — He’s still whispering to your heart, “Arise. Go.”
God’s second chances don’t erase the past; they redeem it. Jonah’s failure didn’t disqualify him — it deepened him. When he finally obeyed, he did so with humility and perspective that only grace can produce. Sometimes, the very things we think ruin our story become the places where God’s mercy shines the brightest.
If you’ve ever thought God was done with you, Jonah’s story is proof that He’s not. Grace doesn’t give up; it calls again. God still speaks after the storm, after the failure, after the regret. His mercy isn’t fragile. It doesn’t shatter when you fall. It waits patiently until your heart is ready to rise again.
The question isn’t whether God is willing to give a second chance — He always is. The question is whether we’ll take it. Will we stop running? Will we trust that God’s grace is big enough to meet us where we are and strong enough to lead us where we’re called to go?
If today you feel like Jonah — tired, guilty, or lost — remember this: God’s word can come to you a second time. And when it does, it’s not to shame you for what’s behind you but to send you forward into what’s ahead.
Grace is calling again. Will you answer?