Running from God

Running from God

Bible: Jonah 1:1-10

Reading

Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish (V.3).

Why do people run away from God? There are so many reasons! Anger, disappointment, fear, selfishness . . . The book of Jonah looks at a man who rejected God’s command to give a message to the people of Nineveh. In the first chapter we read that Jonah deliberately headed for Tarshish to run away from God (JONAH 1:3,10). He knew exactly where he was going and why. After being given a second chance (3:1-2), Jonah shared God’s message but reacted angrily when God then spared the city from judgement because the people turned back to Him (3:10-4:2). The book ends with God speaking to Jonah about His compassion: “Should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh?” (4:11). But there’s nothing to tell us that the angry man changed his attitude. The people of Nineveh turned back to God; Jonah did not (at least, not in the story itself). The story of Jonah should make each of us think honestly about our feelings towards God. Do we love and agree with everything we’ve seen Him do in our lives? Are we on board with the answers He’s given to our prayers? There’s no need to pretend when we are angry or disappointed. And we shouldn’t run away either. Let’s copy the people of Ninevah and turn back to God, talk honestly about how we feel and then trust Him to lead us well

                                  RUNNING AWAY FROM GOD NEVER WORKS.

                                 Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries