Lent - A Time For Penance and Reflection
Lent and The Sign of Jonah
As we enter the season of Lent, we are invited into a time of reflection, repentance, and returning to God. Lent is not simply a ritual or tradition — it is a spiritual journey where we examine our hearts and listen closely to the Lord’s call. One of the clearest messages Jesus gave about repentance is found in His teaching about the Sign of Jonah.
Luke 11:29 (NASB)
As the crowds were increasing, He (Yeshua Jesus) began to say, “This generation is a wicked
generation; it seeks for a sign, and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah.”
The Greek word translated “generation” is genea — which can also mean “age.” Jesus could be saying: “This age is a wicked age…”
The Greek word for “sign” also means a supernatural miracle, a token, or a wonder — something that produces awe and admiration.
In the Old Testament story of Jonah, God sent Jonah to the wicked city of Nineveh. When Jonah finally obeyed, God gave him the message to proclaim.
Jonah 3:1–4 (CEB)
The Lord’s word came to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to Nineveh, that great city,
and declare against it the proclamation that I am commanding you.” Jonah got up and went
according to the Lord’s word. (Now Nineveh was indeed an enormous city, a three days’ walk
across.) Jonah started into the city, walking one day, and cried out, “Just forty days more
and Nineveh will be overthrown!”
The Hebrew word translated “overthrown” is haphak — meaning to turn, to change, to be converted, to return. Jonah’s message was not only a warning — it was an invitation.
Lent is a sacred Christian period of penance and reflection. It lasts forty days — a time to turn, return, and be changed.
Jonah 3:5–10 (CEB)
The people of Nineveh believed God. They proclaimed a fast and put on mourning clothes,
from the greatest to the least. When the king heard, he rose from his throne, removed his
robe, covered himself with mourning clothes, and sat in ashes. He decreed that neither
human nor animal should eat or drink, and that all should call upon God forcefully and turn
from their evil behavior. “Who knows?” he said. “God may turn from His wrath so that we
might not perish.” God saw their repentance and did not destroy them.
The people of Nineveh believed God and repented. Will we?
Reflection: Nineveh, Jonah, and Jesus Washing Feet
A number of times I have thought about the people of Nineveh. They had been doing evil for a long time. I wondered if doing evil for so long made them blind or indifferent to it. It seems to me that God had to open the eyes of their heart. Jonah didn’t say very much to convince them — yet they repented immediately. God awakened them.
This morning our pastor spoke about John 13, where Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. The Messiah, the King, our Savior took the position of a servant — someone “othered” in that culture. This humility is powerful. It shows how God opens hearts: not through force, but through mercy and servant-love.
Jonah, however, sat on a mountain waiting for God to destroy Nineveh. He was angry when God showed mercy. Perhaps he felt embarrassed that what he proclaimed did not happen. But the message of Jonah is clear: God’s warnings are invitations, not predictions. God desires repentance, not destruction.
The Sign of Jonah and Jesus washing feet both teach us the same truth: God awakens hearts through humility, compassion, and mercy. Lent is our season to return, to be softened, and to let God turn us around.
Yeshua Jesus said that He is coming soon.
Revelation 22:6–7 (CEB)
“These words are trustworthy and true… Look! I’m coming soon. Favored is the one who keeps
the words of the prophecy contained in this scroll.”
1 Thessalonians 5:1–3 (CEB)
The day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When people say, “There is peace
and security,” sudden destruction will come upon them, like labor pains on a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.
Lent reminds us that God is still calling us — just as He called Nineveh — to turn, return, and be changed. The Sign of Jonah is a message of mercy, warning, and hope. Jesus invites us to respond with repentance, humility, and trust.
May we hear His voice in this season and open our hearts fully to Him.
Closing Prayer
Father God, during this season of Lent, soften our hearts and open our eyes. Help us turn from anything that pulls us away from You. Give us the courage to repent, the humility to listen, and the strength to follow Your Son, Yeshua Jesus, with all our hearts. May the Sign of Jonah remind us of Your mercy and Your call to return. Create in us clean hearts, renew our spirits, and draw us closer to You each day. In Jesus’ holy name, Amen.
