Jonah Runs from God

Verses: Jonah 1 : 1- 17

My thoughts about the verses:

Imagine for one second God calling you to go and deliver a message to a far away community.  A community much different than your own.  You have to be a little scared.  I know I would be scared yet, at the same time my mind would be wondering why me Lord.

You know that was probably the biggest thought in Jonah's mind, Why me Lord.  Isn't there someone else that can go and do this task?  With all the people in the world you have chosen me and I feel insignificant.  There has to be someone else that has more faith and can go do this for you.

I am not sure I would take the next step.  Yet, haven't we all at one time or another ran from the calling that God has placed on our hearts.  We feel inadequate.  We doubt that the calling has actually come from the Most High.  Yet, Jonah goes and attempts to hide from God.  If you have ever tried to run from God you learn quickly that you can never fully hide.  Eventually your heart strings will pull you to do exactly what God wants you to do.

Yet, for some of us God has to do something major to make us do what we needed to do in the beginning.  Jonah is on a ship running away and God brings this tremendous storm.  The sailors are doing all they can do to save the ship and themselves.  While Jonah lays asleep in the bottom of the boat.  He is awaken and asked why he isn't praying.  You know the first thought that went through Jonah's mind is that this is for what I have done.

The sailors decide there must be a reason this has occurred.  That the God of the seas must be angry with someone on the boat.  They draw lots to see who is at fault.  As can be expected Jonah draws the short stick.  He is the one that has caused the storm.  It isn't until then that he actually takes responsibility for what he has done.

He tells the sailors to throw him overboard and the storm will stop.  Now the sailors at first resisted because they did  not want to throw him off the boat.  They try to save themselves but it doesn't work.  So they throw him in the water.  Immediately the storm stops and the sailors offer a sacrifice to God to beg them to forgive them for what they have done.

Now God doesn't let Jonah perish.  This is the part of the story most of us know.  A large fish comes and swallows Jonah up.  Now if the book ended there we would be under the impression that he God was an vengeful God.  That Jonah had betrayed God and he got the fruit of his deed by being eaten by a fish.  Yet, many of us know that this is just the start of the transformation.

At one time or another we have all hidden from the call of God.  We can't imagine that God expects us to do what we are asked to do.  We run because we fear that we are not worthy enough. We question if it is something God really wants us to do or is it something that we are desiring.  I will let you know right now if it something God wants you to do you can't hide far enough. Eventually you will be led to do what God desires.

Back in my twenties I went on the road for my job.  I spent the majority of time going from one place to the next.  The crazy thing was that I was taking pictures at churches.  I was there seeing people celebrating with their families enjoying worshiping God.  Yet, all I was in it for was money. I didn't care about worshiping I was in it for the mighty dollar.  I was so busy travelling that I got further and further away from God.  I didn't have time to worship, or spend time with my family.

Then things changed my grandfather got diagnosed with brain cancer.  We found out that he had a very limited time and I came home.  I can still remember the drive back and how hard it was.  I was coming home because I needed to be with my family.  I needed to be recommitted to the life that I was meant to be doing.  Money wasn't important anymore it was having a life and being with those you loved.

I can still remember the day that I decided  I needed to go back to church.  I went to church that morning to Lexington MCC.  My heart was filled with the joy that I had been missing for so long.
Then I went to the store bought my grandmother some flowers and my grandfather balloons.  Went to their house and told my Pa that I was back in Church.  He smiled and was really happy.

That was 14 years ago.  I have been through tons of crisis during that time.  Yet, when I finally stopped running and listened to God.  I immediately found where I was suppose to be.  Things changed and I was back to worshiping God.  God gave me my voice and showed me what I was suppose to do.  Now I am a deacon even though I still face hard times I know not to run.  Anytime that I put things before God he wakes me up and makes me face the reality that you cannot hide from doing what God wants and needs you to do.

The only thing that you should put first is your work for the Realm of Heaven.  Whenever you put other things first you will have an event that God uses to refocus you.  Sometimes it will be big and sometimes small.  You have to remember that you have to work for God before you work for humankind.  When you focus on the will of God things will go right even if there are hard times.

Prayer:

Dear God we thank you for being with us even when we run and hid.  We praise you for never abandoning us.  We thank you for being with us during our hard times.  We ask that you guide us to do your will.  Help us remember to keep focused on you.  Help us put aside our own wills so that we may focus on the task that you need us to do.  In your Holy Name we Pray. Amen

Questions:

Have you ever hidden from the tasks that God wants you to do?  Have you thought that you were not capable of doing what God wants from you?  Have you lost your focus on God?  What do you need to do to follow the will of God?