Jonah 1:5

New International Version (NIV)

But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

For Meditation

It is human folly to consider running away from God or hiding from Him. He is Omniscient and Omnipresent; so how could anyone assume invisibility before Him. Yet, we do it all the time. Like Jonah, we try to hide from Him who dwells in perpetual light.

God sent Jonah to, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me” (Jonah 1:2). Jonah, however, decided to go somewhere else. To him, God was too compassionate and forgiving.  The Assyrians were too wicked and brutal for Jonah’s liking. They deserved God’s wrath; not His grace. I am sure Jonah may have said to himself, “Not me God. Let that great city and its sinful citizens burn.” He bought a ticket, boarded a ship going in the opposite direction, and headed for Tarshish.  In Jonah’s flawed presumption, he was fleeing from God, and going somewhere God may not be, and could not see him. Aboard the ship, Jonah went “below deck, where he lay down and fell asleep” (5). God churned the sea a little bit, and through a series of events, Jonah found himself in the belly of a huge fish, which vomited him unto dry land in Nineveh (2:10).

David had it right when he said, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me; your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you” (Ps. 139:7-12).

1. Have you also been running away from God’s call?
2. How long have you been running?
3. How far can you go away from Him?
4. Where can you go that God is not there?
5. Why do you want God to “churn” your life and take you through some uncomfortable situations before you respond to His call?

I pray you realize that you can run from God’s call temporarily, but you cannot hide from Him. The earlier you yielded to Him, the better it would be for you. For He will not leave you alone. He will pursue you until you raise your hands in submission.

So: May you thank God for the privilege and honor of His call; and may He fill your heart with peace and joy when you say with Isaiah, “Here am I. Send me!” (Is. 6:8).

When Love sends, love responds promptly.

Shalom