Running Away
“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 NIV
God commands Jonah to go to Nineveh to send a message to the people there. Jonah decided to go against God’s command and sail to Tarshish to flee from the Lord. God sends a great storm over the sea that the ship was on. The other men on the ship asked Jonah what he had done to cause God to be so angry with him. They knew he must have done something bad because he had already told them he was running away. They ask him what needs to be done to make the sea calm. Jonah tells them to throw him over board and the storm will subside. They don’t want to do this, they try everything else but it doesn’t work, so they toss him overboard. God sent a giant fish to swallow Jonah, Jonah cries out to the Lord in prayer and told the Lord he would do what was asked and God commanded the fish to vomit him on dry land. What I’d like to point out today is God commanded Jonah to do something, and he rebelled, he didn’t want to do it, so he fled. He thought he could run away from God. It didn’t work, God knew what he was doing and where he was, he sent a storm to stir things up. Jonah realized the error of his ways and turns to God and cries out for help. What happens? God is merciful and saves him, even though he was rebellious against him, God still shows him love. How often in our lives do we run away from God? Perhaps we are hurt or angry because something didn’t go our way. That person left us, someone died, something unexpected happens, and we blame God and run away. Does God turn his back on us and tell us forget it? Nope, you’re on your own! Do it yourself! I want nothing to do with you! No!!! He is like a father with open arms waiting for our return. When we repent and pray, he is there for us full of love, mercy, and grace. Just like with Jonah, God is there with you, waiting to love on you and give you another chance. No matter what’s going on in your life today you can turn to him, pray, ask for forgiveness, repent of your sins and he will be there by your side.