A Tale of Two Maybes

Who knows, God may yet repent and turn from his fierce anger, so that we perish not” (Jon. 3:9). These words, spoken by the king of Nineveh, are often read at the opening of Lent: Will God be merciful? Maybe. It’s an odd assertion, when you ponder it. It might mean that repentance is always worth a try, reflecting a “what have I got to lose” attitude when losing is the more likely outcome. Or it may mean that God, after all, is a terrifyingly arbitrary master, who reaps where he does not sow and gathers where he does not winnow (Matt. 25:24). Either interpretation is not very comforting. On deeper reflection, however, I think the thought that God “may yet repent” signals a great, if dizzying, faith. The “maybe” of repentance is, I daresay, thrilling, literally so, like a great ride down the chutes and raging waters of God’s cosmic torrents. Who knows?