Even though our life journey may not be as radical as Jonah’s there are some practical insights we can learn from his amazing story. Looking back on our lives many of us recognize we’ve run from God one way or the other. Intentionally or unintentionally we’ve made decisions that God was not a part of.
In the last blog we saw that when Jonah ran from God it negatively impacted those around him and brought him to a place where he definitely didn’t want to be.
From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the LORD his God. He said: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help and you listened to my cry. Jonah 2:1-2
God listens to prayer of a runner
Maybe like Jonah we’ve come to a place far from God and think we have no leverage with Him, yet God heard Jonah’s desperate cry for help. Regardless of how far we’ve wandered from God He waits for us to reach out to Him. As always He has our best interest in mind.
God is often behind the circumstance that stops a runner in their tracks
You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. Jonah 2:3
During times of disappointing circumstances many sense they’re losing their hopes and dreams and feel that God is paying them back. God is not paying us back, but rather bringing us back to Himself. Many of us can look back on a certain time in our life and know that God stopped us from having our own way.
God’s discipline can be extreme
The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.” Jonah 1:4-7
What God allows to happen can be extreme. What did it take for Jonah to come to his senses? Yes, Jonah’s context was radical and hard to even imagine. How long was he in dire straits? Three heart pounding days. For many it’s not three days.
As a result of the Hebrews’ constant wandering from God they spent forty years in the wilderness and seventy years in Babylonian exile. Ouch. As a result of David’s relationship with Bathsheba he lost his good reputation. Despite our own self- imposed shipwreck God loves us enough to bring us back to Himself.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:11
Through time we can see how God’s loving discipline is for our benefit and His glory.
Running from God is to run from his provision
Jonah ran to the exact opposite direction God wanted for him and pursued what he wanted. He was chasing the wind. That perspective seems to be one of the primary reasons most people run from God, thinking they’ll secure their own fulfilment in their own way. Somewhere along the way they’ve wandered off the good path. This perspective never works out well for us. Like Jonah, when we wander away from God we have the same allusion that we know what’s best.
There are some believers who think, I know God loves me, but I know what I’m doing, I’m going to live my life my way and then assume God will bless it. As Thomas A Kempis said, “There is no worse enemy, nor one more troublesome to the soul than you are to yourself if you are not in harmony with the Spirit of God.”
The good news is you cannot run outside of God’s grace. Being a runner doesn’t disqualify you from God’s grace. Be encouraged knowing that the Bible is full of runners like Adam, Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and too many more to name.
The God of the second chance
The LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.” Jonah obeyed the word of the LORD and went to Nineveh.
Jonah 2:10 – 3:3
The thing is when you quit running you can’t get the time back when you ran. If you’re running, stop now. Ask God for help. Don’t waste your time running anymore, not another season. Run to Him now, His arms are always open to you. He’s ready to eagerly accept you and when you do you won’t regret it.
