God gave Jonah directions, but he did not want to follow them. He didn’t like where God was sending Him and turned down the assignment to Ninevah. The city itself had an awful reputation and Jonah wanted no part of it.
So he ran in the opposite direction, as far from Ninevah as possible. God’s prophet—one who represented Him to people and knew all about God—tried to escape from God.
Except that you can’t escape God.
Since Jonah opted not to obey God’s call, why did he go through such troubles to hide in hopes of not being found?
He didn’t just tell God ‘no thanks, please find another prophet for this job’ and stay there. He didn’t offer up a petty excuse about how his calendar was too full for him to travel. He didn’t even try to find a substitute prophet to take his place.
Instead he ran.
Am I like Jonah? Do I attempt to run from God when the assignment becomes unlikeable, hoping that He won’t find me?
I enjoy the perks of having skills and talents. But what’s my attitude when God directs me in how to use these same talents that He’s blessed me with?
Do I say ‘no thanks, please find another writer? Another musician? Another ____________ ?’(insert your own talents here)
We won’t always like where God leads us. Yet it’s often these very moments when we’re able to grow deeper in our relationship with God. There are also times when it’s not even about us—He wants to use us to save someone else.
Thank you, God, for always finding me and being willing to still use me even if when I’m trying to hide.
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{Linking up with the Five Minute Friday community.}