Did Jonah Really Believe He Could Outrun God

We all know the story of Jonah and the “great fish”. Jonah did not want to do what God wanted Him to do, that is go to Ninevah and preach. Jonah thought that He could go in the other direction and outrun God to Tarshish. Why did he think that God was not going to be in Tarshish waiting for him? Why do we also think that God is not waiting for us to come to Him?

Jonah 1:3-4 says, “But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.” The storms of life are not meant to punish us, but rather to return us to God. When we choose to go out from the presence of God, we will have to pay for it in some way; there are consequences to our actions.

I Didn’t Mean To Do That

As we mature, we understand that our actions often impact others, and many times this impact is not what we intended. Usually, we act and react based upon what will benefit us and not necessarily how it will impact others. But fortunately and sometimes unfortunately, our actions have collateral impact upon other people.

Exodus 20:5-6 says, “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” The choices that we make to do good or evil, not only impact us but other people as well. If we choose to trust God with our lives, He promises to show steadfast love to thousands of generations that are with us now and others who will follow us.

Covered

Insurance policies do us some good when disaster strikes. When our property, appliances, automobiles, and other assets are damaged, we find some assistance and relief from insurance coverage. But insurance policies do not help us overcome the emotional, mental, and spiritual damage done to us by this world. We have to find protection in these areas someplace else.

Psalm 3:3-4 says, “But you, O Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the Lord, and he answered me from his holy hill. Selah.” Among the many blessings that God gives His people are protection like a shield that completely surrounds us, a share in His glory, and the awakening out of sin, guilt, and depression. And, of course, He answers our prayers by His mighty strength. God is in the business of full restoration and renewal of human souls and spirits.

Encyclopedias

When I was a child, my parents went into debt to purchase a set of encyclopedias. They felt that it was important for us to have this source of knowledge and we did frequently use the encyclopedias for school work and general knowledge questions. Of course, encyclopedias have yielded to online searches and technology.

Proverbs 1:5, 7 says, “Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Trusting in God’s wisdom is the way to gain wisdom ourselves, as well as to increase in learning and obtain guidance. To know wisdom is to come to the source of all wisdom, our God.

Distractions

Proverbs 4:25-27 says, “Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.”

We may be distracted by something interesting on our right or left when walking or driving. But these distractions can become dangerous with prolonged attention given to them and they may keep us from reaching our desired destination. In the same way, the world tempts us with many distractions, so we must persevere in keeping our eyes on Jesus as He leads us in paths of righteousness.