The power of Prayer; Part 2

Also, by Janet L. Folger.



The Salvation of Nineveh

Then there was Nineveh. The Ninevites received pretty much the same message as Hezekiah. Jonah, after his aquatic diversion (Three nights at the "Motel Whale"), finally obeyed God and proclaimed His message to the people of Nineveh: "Forty more days and Nineveh will be overturned" (Jonah 3:4). Again, God said "will be." He didn't say maybe. These people had just over a month, and that was it. How else do you read "will be overturned?"

God wanted Jonah to deliver His message, come hell or... high water, so to speak. Listen to what happened next:



The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.

When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust. Then he issued a proclamation in Nineveh:

"By the decree of the king and his nobles:

Do not let any man or beast, herd or flock, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink,. But let man and beats be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."



When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring up them the destruction he had threatened. (Jonah 3:5-10)



Scope it out: God saw how the Ninevites turned from their evil ways and did not destroy them as He said He would. Our prayers reach a compassionate God. And God's mind, it appears, can be changed. If that doesn't make you want to pray, I don't know what will.