The life of Jonah teaches us a valuable lesson: When the Lord gives you a calling, don’t run away from it. A whale might eat you!
OK, probably not. But there are always consequences for disobeying the Lord or ignoring our responsibilities. Sooner or later, our choices catch up with us.
But here’s another important lesson from Jonah: We can always repent! Most of us will not do it in the belly of a fish. (If that does happen to you, please write and tell us about it!) We can repent each day as we pray and talk with God, as we try a little harder to do a little better. And we can feel the sweet peace that comes from giving God our imperfect best. That happy feeling is a sign that we’re forgiven.
By the way, did you know that some gospel scholars have suggested that the time Jonah spent in the belly of the fish is symbolic of the Savior’s time in the tomb before He was resurrected? It is because of the Savior’s sacrifice that we each have the opportunity to repent and be spiritually reborn each day!