hard and you know that you will look like a fool. The humiliation is heating your face and
you wish the floor would just open up and swallow you whole. We've all been there haven't
we! You're embarrassed, scared to death, humiliated. What is your first instinct? To run,
at least that is my initial response to these horrific feelings. You want to run and leave behind
the uncomfortable feelings that have been annoying you, the fear that has been gurgling in
the pit of your stomach at the sight of a task before you that you just don't want to face.
For whatever the reason, running seems to be the human "answer" to many a problem.
However the real problem is that you can't run from whatever it is that is humiliating
or scaring you...because "it" always follows you. The best way to deal with "it" is head on,
with the Lord's help; for what is before you, is something that the Lord is permitting.
We find someone in the Word of God that was running from what God had asked of him...
you see, running is an ancient escape form!
Jonah 1:1-3 "Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,
Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come
up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD,
and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare
thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the
LORD."
The Lord asked Jonah to go to Nineveh and to warn them of their wickedness. Jonah did
not want to go, so what did he do? He ran. Why do we think that we can run from God?
Don't look down on Jonah for this action, for we are no better then he. God asks us to do
something for Him...but we always have excuses, and to us, our excuses are of more
importance then peoples eternal souls. We are wrong, just as Jonah. You can't outrun
God and it's useless to try.
Jonah 1:4 "But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a
mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken."
Sometimes the storms in our lives are of our own making. God is trying to get our
attention. Since we didn't listen to His still small voice, He has no choice but to send
a mighty tempest into our lives to get our attention and make us turn to His will once
again. Don't blame God for the storms that come, look at what caused them, most
likely you will see that you dropped the ball somewhere along the line, and God
just wants you hear His voice.
Jonah knew that this was the case right off. When the storm came up and the mariners
came to him, he answered them without excuse;
Jonah 1:9 & 10 "And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD,
the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land. Then were the men
exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, why hast thou done this? For the men knew
that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them."
Jonah knew that the storm was because of his disobedience. Did you notice that not
only was Jonah is peril, but the mariners lives were also in danger? Our sin does not
just affect us, its consequences often fall on those around us as well. Our families, friends,
co-workers all will feel the affects of our disobedience to the Lord to some extent. No
one had to tell Jonah that this was his fault, he knew the situation that they found them-
selves in was because of his sinful actions. No one has to tell us when we've sinned, we
will know and we will feel the Lord's hand of discipline in our life. It is useless to run,
God knows where we are. So what do we do?
Jonah 2:1-2, 7 "Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish's belly,
And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and He heard me: out
of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. When my soul fainted within
me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto Thee, unto Thine holy
temple."
From the belly of the great fish that the Lord had prepared to swallow Jonah when he
was cast overboard, the Lord heard his prayer of repentance. God is always ready to
hear the repentant prayer of His children. God put Jonah in a place where nothing
around could distract him from the problem at hand...his disobedience. When Jonah
had come to his senses, "The LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah
upon the dry land."
We find the promise of God's forgiveness in 1 John 1:9.
"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse
us from all unrighteousness."
This verse is often used when leading someone to Christ. But its a verse that a child
of God can claim anytime. He is always faithful and just to forgive our sins and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness! Jonah received the Lord's forgiveness from the
depths of the great fishes belly.
We find a different response from Jonah the second time God told him to go to
Nineveh.
Jonah 3:1-3a "And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time,
saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching
that I bid thee. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word
of the LORD."
Jonah obeyed the Lord when He spoke to him again. How many times does the Lord
have to speak to us until we listen to Him? I remember when my children were
young, and I would tell them to do something. Nine times out of ten I would have to
repeat myself. Usually the second time came with an added incentive to do my
bidding. Do you wait until you feel the added incentive from the Lord to do His
bidding? Or do you listen the first time, and become the joyful recipient of His
blessing because of obedience to His will for your life? No one enjoys discipline,
so why put yourself through it? I used to ask that of my children. They knew that
they would get into trouble for not listening, but they would try to get away with it
anyway! Come on now, aren't we just like that!
Just as those around feel the affect of our disobedience, they will feel the affect of
our obedience. Look at what happened when Jonah obeyed the Lord and went to
the city of Nineveh and preached.
Jonah 3:5 "So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and
put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them."
The city of Nineveh was spared destruction because they repented of their evil ways
after hearing the Word of God that Jonah preached. Obedience to God was not
only good for Jonah, but a whole city was spared certain death.
Our obedience probably won't keep a whole city from the wrath of God today, but
perhaps one soul can escape eternal damnation because we choose to obey and
speak the truth. Take a lesson today from Jonah, running is not the answer,
obedience is.
I'll live for Jesus day after day;
I'll live for Jesus, let come what may.
The Holy Spirit I will obey,
And live for Jesus day after day.
Thru every day, new joy I find;
He gives to me real peace of mind.
Until the day, when Christ I see,
I'll live for Jesus, Who died for me.
Paul Schultz
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