Jonah and Nineveh 

Jonah 1&2 

I suppose nearly everyone who hopes for salvation and eternal life has heard the story of how Jonah was thrown overboard. How many know about his prayer recorded in chapter two?

Jonah 2:9 "...But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." 

There is possibly some cynic who would attribute this contrition to the fact that Jonah was at an all time 'low.' Could be. There are those who say of someone crying remorse when confronted with wrongdoing, that the guilty were only remorseful because they were caught. Again, could be.

It seems that David's greatest expression of remorse (Psalms 51) was after being caught. How many among us are so noble as to voluntarily express the deepest remorse and repentance prompted by pangs of conscience or conviction? Not many.

Most of us become remorseful after being confronted by our guilt...but that doesn't usually last long. Jonah responded with a heart-song of thanksgiving for the grace of God. He promised to do what was right, and he acknowledged that only God can bring the relief of salvation. 

Jonah had tried running and self-justification. That only lands one in deep water. It's good to sing when you get caught; it's even better to voluntarily sing a song of remorse to the Lord even if nobody else knows.