Text: Jonah 1:1-3
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 beginning of a favorite, familiar song opening softly on your stereo…
Then the record screeches to a halt.
In an unprecedented 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. And he is absolutely not going to perform his prophetly duties and convey God’s words to the wandering hearts of the 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, I think we ought to break out a map, outlining in black and white Jonah’s heart-and-body response to God’s calling.
(It’s possible that Jonah’s physical journey might look surprisingly similar to some our own heart-journeys.)
Used with permission [source]
Do you see what I see? It takes very little explanation, really. God spoke to Jonah in the general vicinity of Joppa (point A), Jonah barely glances east toward Nineveh (point B), before he boards the nearest boat headed as far west as he can imagine (point C).
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.
Where will we find you?
Sisters, 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 the important message of mercy today?
Now, go in obedience! Share the message of God’s mercy that is just as much for the world as it is for your own soul.
Wow! I'm a super visual learner and that map speaks volumes to me! Who knew?! He busted outta there like Alcatraz!
I will be praying today for God to reveal those times of desperate disobedience in my heart. I'm not a fan of fish…whether as a pet or on my plate, and I certainly don't want God to take the same measures with me to get my attention!!
Amen!
I had been running from God and dragging my feet terribly on something He called me to do: start a flag worship ministry at our church. I have been worshipping with the flags for several months and my pastor was asking me when I was going to start the ministry. Well….next month…um next week….uh sometime soon. Shame on me! The Lord has really been dealing with me. He is soo patient!
I finally started the ministry and have 3 beautiful ladies I'm training and teaching. I am so blessed to work and worship with them. They are teaching me too! I love how God works and when we finally quit running from Him, he blesses us tremendously.
God bless you sisters. Have a beautiful day in The Lord!
Amen. He is indeed plenteous in mercy. Our own disobedience can destroy us. Take heed today. Repent and be reconciled with the Father.
I have not trusted Him to guide me to where He wants me to go. I have gone where it suits me and I haven't actually sat and tried to listen to what He wants for me
First an update: The school situation is better, I hope. The meeting went well. Thank you to this community for encouraging me. Second: fix one leak in the dam another place springs a leak. My job is just all kinds of crazy, I feel inadequate. I had many reservations about taking this job and now I feel like all those reservations were correct. I don't know how to handle it. There are several things that have come up that I honestly don't want to handle and like Jonah…
I. Want. To. Run. Please God let me run. Let me say all of my excuses and run. I don't want to do this, I don't want to face this. I want to run. It's not about mercy, it's about fear right now. I'm scared I can't do this and I can't do it well. I'm worried about the relationships this affects. I got the job through my sister who is a client of my boss…. I just want to run.
I'm not angry with her and God knows she could use a witness to tell her about God's Mercy. She deserves it. I have no qualms about that… I'm not asking for hellfire and brimstone on her….. But oh how I want to run from this. I don't feel peace about staying and I have less peace about quitting. I'm also not too interested in being swallowed up by a whale…. but running seems like a good option right now.
Lord Jesus…. help me through this! I'm definitely sinking in the sand, on the waves, too far from the shore where it's not safe.
Maybe I will rue the day I said:
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Where ever you would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior.
So I will call upon your name……
I loved the map!!!! I loved seeing where Jonah took his course of action and out right disobed! This message also spoke to me because I guess I too have disobeyed God when he tells me to go to places like church on Wednesdays, go help this lady, talk to a parent at school, etc. and I don't do it – I feel very guilty after wards……… Thank – you for these words and helping me see Jonah in a whole new light…… Thank – you God for coming with us into the pages of Jonah with us and revealing so much!!!!!
CRYING. REPENTING, FORGIVEN. OBEYING THANK YOU LORD
Jonah is funny, sisters. I know we all remember those times our parents asked us to do something and we did the complete opposite… ON PURPOSE! Just like all the times from my childhood, I thought I would get away with running from the truth by staying out later than I was supposed to thinking "Mom will never find out." Wrong!
I am a proud Aunt (the kids call me Titi) of four! No children of my own yet but I just delighted in the times when my nieces and nephews were babies. They loved it when I would chase them around the house. It wasn't funny, however, when they would run off in the mall or in the grocery store intentionally, especially after I instructed them to hold on to the cart.
In both of these examples, I have learned that we are not only given instructions for our own protection but we are given instructions of purpose. God has given us instructions to protect us and to provide purpose for our lives!