Scripture Reading: Jonah 1:1-17, Psalm 104:24-26, Matthew 12:38-42
Pulling the coarse blanket tighter and rolling over, Jonah sighed as he sank deeper into sleep. The warm dark cabin around him creaked and groaned as the waves outside surged with increasing intensity. The sailors above deck scanned the horizon and glanced anxiously up at a grey sky heavy with the strength of the Lord Almighty. God was coming for Jonah.
The prophet was running away, but God pursued him like only the Creator and Lord of the sea could: with a furious ocean tempest. Jonah tried to flee from the very presence of the Lord, thinking he could hide if he found an old boat heading in a new direction.
But God is fierce and awesome in His pursuit. Jonah never had a chance of hiding. Even the inanimate dice the sailors used to cast lots pointed him out as the one running from God (Jonah 1:7). God had called to Jonah, “Get up! Go” (Jonah 1:2), and now all creation seemed to be shouting, “Return!” God uses wind and waves, even dice—everything in creation stands by to obey its Creator. In the face of the deafening storm and sure signs, the sailors feared for their lives, and looked to Jonah with eyes of blame and hands ready to heave-ho.
God’s pursuit is relentless exactly because He is so loving. He could’ve crushed Jonah under a tremendous sea surge and found another man. Jonah had his chance, and he clearly took the coward’s way out, right? God gave him a clear instruction (something we all long for), and Jonah ran like a frightened child in the other direction. Why didn’t God give up on Jonah?
God wanted Jonah. Goodness, isn’t that amazing? I sometimes feel like I’m a substandard version of the person who should actually be living my life. And the truth is, I do fall short. I do worry that there is someone who would be a better mother to my kids, wife to my husband, friend to my friends. But despite my imperfections and failings, I am the best mother for my children, wife for my husband, and friend for my friends. God gives specific callings to specific people (Ephesians 2:10). That means God wants me for my particular calling and life.
We can’t escape God and His storm gale of purpose. He pursues us with love that is filled with a beautiful intensity unlike anything else we have ever known.
“Where can I go to escape your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to heaven, you are there;
if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.”
– Psalm 139:7-8
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43 thoughts on "Jonah’s Call"
“I sometimes feel like I’m a substandard version of the person who should actually be living my life”
I feel this. Especially when it comes to leading worship at church. I feel like the people deserve someone better. Someone who’s more confident and gifted. But for some reason God has me up there. At least for this season, He wants me. Thank you for the encouragement this morning!
Yes! As Jess Connolly would say “you’re the girl for the job!” God has placed you there on purpose! Lean into Him!!
Yessss!
“That means God wants me for my particular calling and life.” Good word!!
Such a beautiful reminder. I know God has called me to do great things in life. He has made me promises that I have seen being kept. He does not leave anything incomplete and whatever work he has started in both me and you, He will finish. He has called you to do great and be great. You are here for a reason, something I struggled to understand. But He has been with me through every step of my journey and He’s calling out to you my sisters ❤️ Receive what He has planned for you with open arms!
“He has called you to do great and be great”—love this! Thank you!
I’ve sometimes wondered why God seems to pursue some folks as He pursued Jonah and others not so much? I’ve know people who God continued to call and put people in their path to draw them to Him. Others seem so uninterested and distant. Does He pursue all of us the same way or are there some who He really does call more intensely than others? As many of you have said, I have family members who are far from God and not at all open to following Him. On the other hand, my father was, in his words, hounded by the Holy Spirit until he relented and God used him mightily. I pray that God will put people in the path of my loved ones and maybe He has called me to be in someone’s path and I have not obeyed. May I have the courage and be obedient to His calling. This is a rambling message, but just something on my heart. I love you ladies! Thank you for listening to my troubled heart.
I think there is a difference between already knowing and having a relationship with God and Him then asking you to do something (ex. Jonah & the Old Testament prophets) vs. a non believer being pursued by God. Also, post Pentecost we now have the Holy Spirit prompting believers and working on non-believers hearts. Other than that I have to believe a few things: 1. God is loving – he wants all to come to him 2. He is just – he will not tolerate sin 3. He knows what he is doing. I can’t understand it all because I’m not God (thankfully). So I trust these things & hope to be apart of the Kingdom work he has in store through and around me while I’m here on earth. So maybe that doesn’t answer a tough question but it does leave us truth to stand on, and it’s a firm foundation.
I have not been called to go to godless warring nations but I have been known to duck and weave from speaking to far less hostile people. Like Jonah, I avoid confrontation and conflict. Like Jonah, I profess “I worship the Lord, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.” But what is my worship when I disobey His clear Word to “Get up! Go…”? I hesitate. I keep quiet and I stay put. I don’t find myself in the belly of a great fish but my conscience is surely tempest-tossed with guilt and shame. Ugh. Finally I yield (not always and usually reluctantly, let’s be honest). The outcome (which is God’s business) is less important than my obedience. Help me to trust you, Lord. Help me to say yes, Lord . Help me to move. Sooner. Amen.
Lovely words, as usual! And thank you for the ongoing prayers Churchmouse! They ARE like a staff! ❤️
“The outcome (which is God’s business) is less important than my obedience.” Love this! It is so true and so many time I worry more about the outcome than whether or not I’m being obedient no matter the outcome. Thanks
Outcome is less important than my obedience…I think I am going to add this to my affirmations. Thank you!
Oh Jonah. I avoid confrontation and conflict also. I have not been called to go to a godless warring nation like Nineveh but I certainly duck and weave from far less hostile people. I have heard “Get up! Go…” and I have hesitated. I have decided that what God was asking was too much for me, too uncomfortable. Surely God was choosing the wrong person this time. So I kept quiet and I stayed put. I didn’t find myself in the belly of a great fish but my conscience was surely tempest-tossed with guilt and shame. Like Jonah, I professed “I worship the Lord, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land.” But what is my worship if I then disobey His clear word ? Does not my God, the creator of all, know what He is doing? Oh. My. Foolish me. His Spirit nudged and pushed until I (reluctantly, let’s be honest) put on my shoes and went. The outcome (that was God’s business) wasn’t nearly as important as my obedience. God wanted me to get up and go. Me. Move. Lord, help me to overcome my hesitancy, my reluctance. Help me to trust You. Amen.
“I sometimes feel like I’m a substandard version of the person who should actually be living my life.” I could have written these words. I have struggled my entire life with feeling like I am not enough. I know in my head that that is a lie from Satan, but so many times my heart believes it. “But despite my imperfections and failings, I am the best mother for my children, wife for my husband, and friend for my friends. God gives specific callings to specific people. That means God wants me for my particular calling and life.” I can’t begin to tell you how these words spoke to my heart. They are exactly what I needed to hear. God wants me. He wants you. He has put us where we are because we are the best person for that place. I have never thought of it from that perspective – from God’s perspective.
Papa God, thank you for this. Keep my heart tender and obedient. Help all of us remember that when You call us to something it’s because You know that we are the best person for that calling. You are so good and so awesome and I love You so much.
Be blessed, sisters!
Thank you for this, Kathy! I have spent most of my life deriding myself for not being better at the things set before me. It is only during the past year or so that I have come to accept God made me the way I am; I realized that if I doubt myself constantly, then I am also doubting the Lord. Praise God for our callings and the way He made us perfectly to fulfill them!
My thoughts exactly! Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
I relate to this so much Kathy! Thank you for your words!
“God wants me. He wants you. He has put us where we are because we are the best person for that place. I have never thought of it from that perspective – from God’s perspective.”
God’s perspective…I needed to read this today. Satan has convinced me I am a terrible friend, that’s others are much better at being a friend than I am.
God made me the way I am, and I am being a good friend as me. Not that I can’t improve, and that is where Satan gets me.
Father, you don’t make mistakes. Please keep me strong for your glory.
“You’re the girl for the job!” – one of the main points and one of my favorite take-a-aways from Dance Stand Run! It comes out next week and y’all should get yourself a copy!!! <3
Just pre-ordered it from Amazon. Thanks for the recommendation.
Jonah was called to get up and go do the work of the Lord. Life was not about whatever Jonah had for plans, it was about the glory of God. In Romans Paul tells believers the sun is risen and we must be about the Lord’s work (13:12). I don’t think I want to wait for “a sign from the Lord” in the same way the People criticizing Jesus did.
We serve an amazing and loving God who holds every nation and every bit of nature in His hand.