Jonah’s Jerky Journey
By David Faust
We all can relate to Jonah because at some point we all have tried to run from God. The Lord said go, and we said no. The Lord said speak, and we stayed silent. He sent us to Nineveh, and we headed for Tarshish.
Jonah thought he was taking the easier route when he “ran away from the Lord” (Jonah 1:3), but after he made that decision, everything literally went downhill. His jerky journey began when he “went down to Joppa” (v. 3). Onboard a boat, he hid downstairs “below deck” (v. 5), where his energy waned and he “fell into a deep sleep” (v. 5). Eventually he sank into the sea, for the sailors “took Jonah and threw him overboard” (v. 15). Whenever we run away from God, things always go downhill.
Running from God wears us out. Who can outrun an all-knowing and ever-present Almighty? David asked the Lord, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” (Psalm 139:7).
WHAT ARE YOU RUNNING FROM?
Is there a “Nineveh” you are avoiding? Running from God can take different forms.
Do you ever try to escape responsibility? Israel’s first king, Saul, stood a head taller than his peers. He was divinely appointed and anointed, but leading an unruly nation looked like an unpleasant assignment, and he felt intimidated. When the time came to introduce the new king to the public, everyone looked for Saul but couldn’t find him. He finally turned up “among the supplies” (1 Samuel 10:22)—hiding in a storeroom surrounded by baggage. Come to think of it, we all have baggage that gets in the way and impedes our response to God. Do you ever feel like hiding when God calls you to serve?
Maybe you have run away from prayer. In the book of Acts, prayer fueled the believers’ faith, empowered their ministry, clarified their decision-making, cemented their unity, emboldened their preaching, soothed their sorrow, and propelled them to take the gospel to other nations. Why, then, is prayer so infrequent and so feeble in churches today?
Without prayer, any attempt to restore the New Testament church is woefully incomplete. Without prayer, we’re like Adam and Eve trying to cover ourselves with flimsy fig-leaf garments of our own making instead of relying on the provision and power of God. It took being thrown into the sea and swallowed by a huge fish for Jonah to rekindle his desire to pray and renew his service to God.
Do you ever run away from conflict? It’s understandable why Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh, the capital city of Israel’s enemies. Who wants to face rejection by preaching a confrontational message about repentance and righteousness in a hostile cultural environment? But as Oswald Chambers observed, “All noble things are difficult.” Jesus said things like, “First go and be reconciled” and “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:24, 5:44). Conflict repels us, but the love of Christ compels us. If we love God and love others, we can’t avoid difficult assignments and hard conversations.
Jonah’s jerky journey shows that it’s foolish to run from God. Whatever happens—even when we find ourselves tossed into a stormy sea—these words from James ring true: “Come near to God and he will come near to you” (James 4:8).
Personal Challenge: In conversation with your small group or a trusted friend, tell about a time when you tried to run from God, responsibility, prayer, or conflict. Commit yourself to walk with God, not run away from him.
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