Let's talk about Jonah

When you just read  “Jonah”, you immediately thought of the huge fish, didn’t you!  But today I do not want to concentrate on that great supernatural miracle of God, creating such a big fish for him – even though that is something that fills me with awe and wonder. 

 What struck me as I read Jonah again was the fact that you cannot hide from God - His mercy and lovingkindness will follow you everywhere you go.

 You see, even when Jonah was totally disobedient to God, God still pursued him.  Even when Jonah tried to flee to the most remote of the Phoenician trading places then known, God still kept him on track by firstly sending a great storm, then having Jonah cast into the sea by his initially very reluctant fellow passengers, and then providing a great fish to transport Jonah back to the Mediterranean coast.  God had to also resurrect Jonah before the fish spewed him out, as he could not have survived all that happened to him in the sea after being thrown overboard. Consider Jonah2:2:  “I called out to the LORD, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.”- Jonah’s prayer came out of the belly of Sheol.  Now Sheol was the abode of the dead.

  God performed no less than eight miracles around Jonah during this episode in his life, and they were all necessary because Jonah kept running away from Him.

 Do you find yourself in this position also:  that you are running away from God?  You have heard His voice, You know what it is that He wants from you, yet you started running away - you simply cannot find the courage to turn back, or you might think that the price is too high, or that you are not good enough, or any of a thousand reasons that keeps you running and running and running.

 Then be encouraged today, my friend, because God is not about to give up on you!  He will do what it takes to get your attention, even if you are running at top speed.  Look what He did for Jonah!  Stop running, and start listening.  Hallelujah!  We serve a God Who has compassion.  We sometimes forget how patient God is, and how full of mercy, and how many chances He wants to give us to choose life, to turn away from our wickedness and choose Him.  Look at Jonah! God is waiting patiently to shower you also with His mercy and grace!

 

 

 

13 December 2021

 

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