Jonah Chapter 3. I'm afraid.
Chapter 3 starts out with God coming to Jonah, a second time, and telling him to go to Nineveh and proclaim his message. All it says is Jonah obeyed.
It's almost funny! Because if you read chapter 3 before reading chapters 1 and 2, you'd conclude that Jonah's obedience was no big deal. But in reality, we see in chapter one that it's all about fear. He knew Nineveh was an evil city and feared they would not take kindly to someone telling them about the Lord. So he ran from God and God let him go through a very near death experience that captured his attention. This experience brought him to brokenness before God.
So now in chapter 3, Jonah goes and proclaims God's words to Nineveh. He tells them that in 40 days God's wrath will destroy the city.
Oh my goodness! As a result of this message, the king and all of Nineveh was broken before God, they repented of their sins, and fasted and prayed that God would relent his wrath. And God did relent of his wrath against Nineveh.
All the fear Jonah had in chapter 1 was not necessary. He feared Nineveh would kill him or at least torture him. Fear kept him from being obedient to God's call on his life. His fear could have kept the whole city in Nineveh from encountering a loving relationship with God.
What are we afraid of? Perhaps today God is telling us that we need to get his word out to those he puts in our paths. Perhaps God wants us to tell others about the love of Jesus so that they will not die in their sin. How would we take this command or challenge? Would fear be a factor? If the answer is yes then is it possible the very people God wants to hear his truth may never hear it? Why? Because of fear.
In Ezekiel 3:18 God says, “When I say to a wicked person you will surely die and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sins but I'll hold you accountable for their blood.”
This passage is a reminder to me to not let fear stand between me and what God is wanting to do through me and to his people.