“The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” Jonah 1:1-2
In the Gospel story of Jonah and the big fish, we see that the Lord has personally called on Jonah to carry out a mission. The mission is not an easy one by any means. Jonah must travel to Nineveh and proclaim its destruction if the city does not turn away from its evil ways! Imagine Jonah’s fear, doubt, and skepticism toward the entire undertaking.
Like many of us Jonah reacts rather than trusts. He runs as far as he can in the opposite direction. He hops on a boat to Tarshish which is half way around the world. Maybe he thought the Lord wouldn’t find him there.
“Then the LORD sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god.” Jonah 1:4-5
When the LORD wants you to go one way and you go another it is not the end of the matter. He will have His way with you until you decide to go His way! “Now the LORD provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.” Jonah 1:17
In the fish, Jonah realizes his folly and cries out to the Lord. “He said, ‘In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry.” Jonah 2:2
“And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” Jonah 2:10 On dry land, Jonah commits himself to the Lord’s mission and goes to preach salvation in Nineveh.
Jonah could have saved himself a lot of tribulation had he answered the Lord’s command in the first place. So can we. However, like Jonah, we often run as far as we can in the opposite direction and try to hide when the Lord asks us to do something hard, or something outside of our comfort zone. I have learned that the more I resist, the harder everything becomes. But, also like Jonah, when we realize our folly and turn back toward the Lord, we find the strength and courage to do as He commands.
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