Day 17

Jonah’s Flight

from the Lent 2016 reading plan


Jonah 1:1-3, Psalm 139:7-12

BY Raechel Myers

Text: Jonah 1:1-3, Psalm 139:7-12

This is part of a 7-day series on Jonah in the Lent 2016 reading plan. 

The book of Jonah begins typically enough. Another prophet, another message of repentance from God to be communicated to the world. It’s like the first bars of a familiar song playing softly on your stereo… but then the record screeches to a halt.

In an unexpected turn of events, the prophet Jonah hears the Lord’s message and bluntly refuses. He doesn’t simply squirm like Moses and Elijah and Jeremiah when the Lord called them to something beyond their wheelhouse. Jonah straight-up does not approve this message. You see, Jonah had an “us vs. them” view of salvation: God’s mercy is for us, but it is definitely not for the wandering hearts of those dirty Ninevites.

We know about Jonah, most of us. We know that God called Jonah to preach repentance to a crazy-wicked city and that Jonah disobeyed because he didn’t think these people deserved God’s mercy. But before we read further into this book, let’s break out a map and see in black and white Jonah’s heart-and-body response to God’s calling.

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Do you see what I see?

It takes very little explanation, really. God spoke to Jonah in the general vicinity of Joppa (see “The Call” on the map), Jonah barely glances east toward Nineveh, before he boards the nearest boat headed as far west as he can imagine (toward Tarshish).

And do you know what Jonah found in his escape? He found that nothing, not even his own dark, unwilling heart, can separate him from God. David discovered this, too, writing, “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).

Have you ever fled from the Lord? Ever sensed a strong tugging from the Holy Spirit, but chose to run in the opposite direction?

This is where we’ll leave Jonah today. But where will we find you?

Friends, I encourage you to sit in quiet for a while right now. Tune out distractions and pray.

Ask the Lord where He has called you and you have not obeyed. Repent of your disobedience and be forgiven.

Consider the places and people to which He has called you and you have responded with obedience. Praise Him for His direction.  

Ask the Father where He would lead you now. Who needs to hear His message of mercy today?

May we go in obedience and by His grace. May we have the courage to joyfully share the message of God’s salvation — a message that is just as much for the rest of the world as it is for our own souls.

If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
-Psalm 139:9-12 ESV

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Post Comments (113)

113 thoughts on "Jonah’s Flight"

  1. Faith says:

    I just realized my Ninevah is right where I am now. I’ve been trying to find a way out, and neglecting the call to do the work of the Lord here!

  2. Emily says:

    In psalm 139 it talks about us running and hiding from the lord. But what I LOVE is Gods response. He doesn’t come after us and try to find us or catch, but he leads us, and holds with his right hand, even as we run.

  3. Meghann says:

    Sure enough, as soon as I asked, the answer appeared

    1. Same here. Only I still have the urge to run in the direction of Tarshish.

  4. Andrea says:

    My blended family was welcome at our church for a time. Until we asked to be married there. This study has a lot of healing for my grief. thankfully we have found a new home. Flooded with grace and mercy. We have repented of our past divorces and look to God’s loving hand as we move forward in healing and love.

  5. Stacie says:

    Thank you for facilitating a moment with the Lord that truly allowed me to see a calling I was running from.

  6. JANK says:

    As I read this passage today, it also occurred to me that our choices to disobey God also affect those around us. Jonah made his decision to run but the men on the ship also suffered the consequences of his decision. Even tho they were not followers of The Lord. Like Jonah, our choices can have effects, good or bad, on the people we encounter every day. God pursues not only us, but his desire is for all to come to him. Even tho Jonah was running when they asked him -did he have anything to do with the storm- they probably worshipped many gods, He shared that it was THE Lord who was pursuing him. That in itself was a witness even tho he was in disobedience to God. I think that’s a pretty cool part of the story too, that even when we run God pursues us and we have opportunity to use our bad choices to let others know that yes! I made a bad decision, But God doesn’t give up. I’m thinking that not only the Ninevites were given a chance to repent but the people on the boat were also eye witnesses to a God who pursues us. He can use any of our decisions for His glory even when we suffer the consequences of running away from him.

    1. Laci says:

      This is wonderful, thanks for sharing!

  7. Casie says:

    The prayer prompts are amazing Raechel! Thank you! Ignorant rot I

    1. Casie says:

      Ignorantly I always thought Jonah was just about a whale!

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