"Ninevah," co-written with Pastor Steven Furtick of Elevation Church, was the second single released ahead of Brooke Ligertwood's first solo worship project, SEVEN. The song is inspired by the story in the book of Jonah. Let's unpack the story of Jonah and what it teaches us about repentance and God's mercy.
Nineveh, oh, Nineveh/The Lord is turning toward you/Compassion or calamity/ Will you heed the warning
Embracing Repentance
Fall on your knees, tear down your idols/When you choose surrender, you choose survival/Call on His name, turn from your violence/Out of the ashes, He will revive you/ God have mercy/ God have mercy
I love the irony in the story of Jonah. God tells Jonah to preach to the sinful city of Ninevah so they could experience God's mercy and escape judgment. Jonah initially rebels against God's will because of his own selfish motives. And in the process reveals to himself--and to the reader--that there are some places in his own heart that aren't fully submitted to God.
When Jonah is in the belly of a whale, he realizes his sin and cries out to God for mercy. God releases him from the fish's belly. And Jonah delivers God's message to the people of Ninevah. Subsequently, they turn from their sin, and God has mercy on them. I love that Jonah has his own encounter with facing personal sin, repentance, and needing God's mercy while on a mission to invite others to do the same.
Subconciously, we think sinfulness and weaknesses are just "somewhere out there, in those other people." It's easier to notice other people's flaws than our own. The truth is we have sinful areas in our behavior and weak areas in our character. We also experience spiritual boredom and complacency.
Once we've received Jesus, our identity is not "sinner" anymore and we don't have to be led by our sinful desires. Rather, we are saints, forgiven and set apart by God. Empowered by the Holy Spirit to walk in righteousness.
But we're becoming more like Jesus over time, as the Holy Spirit renews our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. We're all in a lifelong process of growth and spiritual maturity. So, even as followers of Jesus, we still need to repent sometimes. We still need God's loving correction so we can turn from sin and submit ourselves to God's Word and ways.
Finding Mercy
Holy Spirit, help me see/Where there is Nineveh in me/Turn away Your wrath once more/God have mercy/Perfect prophet, priest, and King/Christ became the reckoning/In His body, bore my sin/Now to all who trust in Him/God has mercy
"Holy Spirit, help me see where there is Ninevah in me." What a powerful line. I want to ask you a hard question. Something I've been asking myself lately. Do you have the courage to pray that same lyric Brooke did in this song? Would you ask God to reveal where there's Ninevah in you?
Pray the prayer David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life."
Ask Jesus to encourage you in the areas of your life where you're maturing and walking faithfully in His ways, and to gently point out to you areas of sin or compromise where He wants to transform you and give you freedom. That's exactly what He did for the seven churches in Revelation 2-3. He affirmed their faithfulness, corrected their shortcomings, and gave them practical steps forward to walk out in repentance. He'll do the same for you.
Final Thoughts
You know what I love about God? Like Hebrews 12:5-11 teaches us, He corrects the ones He loves and disciplines those He accepts as His child. When God corrects things in our lives, it's an act of His love for us. He has purpose in bringing correction to us. And He wants to train us in right living and help us grow. We can trust the goodness of His love and leadership in our lives, even when we're having tough conversations with Him. He shows mercy and compassion to all who trust in Him.
Find "Ninevah" on Brooke Ligertwood's latest album, SEVEN. Buy it on Apple Music or stream it on Spotify. Read the full lyrics of "Ninevah" here.
NRT contributor Jasmin Patterson is a lifelong fan of Christian music who is passionate about helping others connect with Christ. She lives in Kansas City where she serves in college ministry and runs a blog to help seekers and believers discover and live biblical Christianity.
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