By Carla Williams
The Old Testament prophet, Jonah, has earned a reputation as the reluctant missionary, but everything we know about him is contained in four short chapters, covering just a blip in time. Jonah was resistant to God’s direction, sure, but he was also probably just a regular guy who served an extraordinary God. Maybe that sounds familiar.
Each chapter in the book of Jonah provides insight that can be useful for all believers as you navigate the ups and downs of obeying God when you’d rather run the other direction.
Chapter 1: If You’re Going to Run Away, be Honest about it.
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” – Jonah 1:9
So God has told Jonah to go to Nineveh, and instead he’s cruising on the high sea with a band of pagan sailors heading toward Tarshish. What’s interesting about this scene is that even in his tantrum, Jonah was talking about God. Before the storm arrived, Jonah told his companions that he was fleeing God. He was clear and direct when they asked about the nature of his God – making no excuses for God’s right or reason to cause such a storm.
I resist God a lot more than I’d like to admit. But I basically never have the awareness that Jonah showed on this boat. It’s one thing to run from God. It’s another to know you’re doing it, know you’re wrong, and still make sure everyone around you hears that God is completely and totally good and powerful. He was in a fight with God, but he had no hesitation in admitting that he was the one who was wrong.
And by the time he was thrown overboard, a ship full of sailors had experienced and worshiped the power of the One True God.
God isn’t scared of your resistance. He isn’t surprised by it. Even when you don’t like what He wants you to do, remember that He’s still God and the chances are good that He’s right and you’re not. You never know who will discover God in your rebellion.
God used Jonah’s resistance, but his heart still needed adjustment.
Chapter 2: Worship, even in the Slimy Places
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple. – Jonah 2:4
After the sailors tossed Jonah into the storm, God immediately provided an unlikely rescue in the form of a hungry sea creature. And as he considered his plight in the spacious belly of the guardian fish, Jonah’s thoughts naturally turned to worship. He had no idea whether he’d have another chance at life. As far as he knew, he would perish there. There was no pleading or blame – just gratitude. God hadn’t saved him from the storm; God saved him from his own sinfulness. And Jonah couldn’t wait to praise his Rescuer.
That fish belly was his sanctuary, and if he only had a few moments of life left, he was going to use them in worship.
In the down parts of your life, do you see God’s grace? Do you look at the slime around you and think about how God is actively saving you? Do you praise God when there’s no reason to believe your situation will improve?
And at just the moment when Jonah realized that “salvation comes from the Lord,” he found himself on dry ground.
Chapter 3: Fully Commit to the Message
Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. – Jonah 3:3
It took a little convincing, but a soggy Jonah finally made his way to Nineveh. And then he did a lot of walking. He was the only voice for God in a very large city of darkness. If everyone was going to hear the message from God, it was up to him.
He didn’t have time to move in, casually build relationships, and live so kindly that one day someone might ask him about the secret to his joy. Their need was too urgent, their darkness too oppressive, the mandate too clear.
He was there to call the city to repentance. Even though he was alone. Even though the city was large and he had to walk long days with no idea if anyone was listening.
But they were listening. And that turned out to be a problem, too.
Chapter 4: At the End of the Day, Care.
“But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.” – Jonah 4:1
While Jonah was traveling through the city, sharing God’s message, he experienced the full sinfulness of the people of Nineveh. He had no doubts regarding the evil in the city and God’s just and righteous decision to punish that wickedness.
And somewhere along the way, he started anticipating the punishment more than he yearned for the repentance.
He angrily accused God of being gracious and compassionate, a charge so unforgivable that Jonah felt like he would die. He didn’t mind God’s overwhelming kindness when he was being rescued. After all, before that whole running-away mishap, he’d been a pretty good person, right? So maybe he deserved forgiveness, but the people of Nineveh were thoroughly wicked.
How could a good, just God overlook such blatant evil?
As you would expect, God’s response was perfect. He made it personal. He gave Jonah something precious (a little bit of shade), and then He snatched it away. Jonah returned immediately to his petulant attitude, insisting that he was right in his distress because that vine had been important to him.
But those people were important to God. They were precious. They were His sweet creations and He loved them.
And Jonah loved a plant.
At the end of the day, you must care about the people God loves. Even if you don’t like them. Even if they’re awful, horrible, mean brutes.
Because it wasn’t so long ago that you were the one swimming in darkness, running from God, redeemed by three days in darkness followed by glorious light.
