What does running from God look like? Are you running from Him? There have been so many times in my life when I’ve run from God – from what He was calling me to do. The best news ever . . . He never forgets me! He forgives and then gives us second and third and fourth chances.
What Does Running From God Look Like?
Have you ever known God is calling you to do something for Him, but you don’t want to do it? You run in the opposite direction? Usually, when I run, I think it will be okay with God if I just do this “other” thing rather than THE thing He is calling me to do. I mean . . . it’s close . . . right? I’m not REALLY running away from God . . . I’m just kind of “taking a stroll” in a slightly different direction.
Partial obedience is still disobedience. Ouch!
It’s not okay with God when we don’t obey Him completely.
Maybe your “running” looks a lot like mine. Or maybe you are really running away. Running from God looks different in each situation and for each person – but it’s still running.
My running
I’ve always loved writing. Several years ago, I felt God calling me to write Bible Studies, articles and books for the Christian market. Every time I even thought about it, I freaked out. “I can’t write for other Christians – I would have nothing to say, Lord.”
But, writing is important to me. I wanted to write and reach people – just not necessarily from a Christian perspective . . . yet. So, I started a blog a couple of years ago about retirement, called Retired Living Today. It’s about life as a retiree and helping people plan for retirement. I figured I would be helping people and I truly enjoy writing for that group, but sometimes it doesn‘t seem to be enough.
God just kept nudging me – a sermon at church, an article online or a specific Bible verse that would really get to me. I kept thinking about starting a Christian blog or writing an article for a Christian magazine. Finally, a short time ago, I gave in and told Him, “Yes. Whatever you want me to do, Lord, I’ll do.”
Do you know how scary that is – to say those words to God? To surrender to HIS WILL?? What if He wants me to go to Africa? That is usually the first question Christians seem to ask themselves when God is asking for their surrender.
Let’s talk a little about someone in the Bible who was running from God.
Jonah Ran
We just finished a sermon series at our church about Jonah. You remember the story, right? If not, you can read Jonah’s story in the book of Jonah – it’s just four chapters long.
Jonah was one of God’s prophets to Israel. We don’t know a whole more about Jonah. The book of Jonah starts with God telling him to do a specific job – go to Ninevah and preach. That’s it! Just go to Ninevah and preach.
Not such a big deal, right? You would think that’s entirely doable for a prophet / preacher. But Jonah didn’t want to go to Ninevah.
Anyplace But Ninevah!
Here’s a little history and perspective about Ninevah. It was the largest city in Assyria, and the Assyrians were REALLY bad people – brutal warriors. They believed in absolutely crushing their enemies. When they came to a city they wanted to conquer, they raped, pillaged and tortured, then killed everyone in the city. They cut the heads off the men of the city and built a pyramid with those heads outside the city’s gates. It was the equivalent of an Assyrian billboard: “We’re the biggest and the baddest. Don’t even bother to fight us – WE WILL WIN! We will crush you!”
There was definitely history between Assyria and Israel. The Assyrians had attacked Israel before and killed Jonah’s father in one of those attacks.
Jonah did not want to go to Ninevah. Period. He HATED Assyrians. He hated the Ninevites.
You see, Jonah knew that God can forgive people for the bad things they have done. BUT, the Assyrians did not deserve God’s grace. The LAST thing Jonah wanted was for God to show mercy to the Ninevites. He really, really, really did not want to preach to those people.
I’m ashamed to say that sometimes I feel there are people who should never receive God’s mercy because of what they have done in the past. But that isn’t the way God feels. His mercy is available for everyone, no matter what they, you or I have done. Every time I have these unforgiving feelings, I have to stop and ask for God to forgive me and change my thoughts. I can’t deny others the very forgiveness God has given to me.
The Big Fish
So, let’s keep going with the story. Jonah got on a boat headed as far from Ninevah as he could go (in the opposite direction). Did God know he was running away? Of course.
God sent a big storm that threatened to sink the ship Jonah was on. Long story short, the crew of the boat threw Jonah overboard and the storm stopped immediately. But God wasn’t finished with Jonah – He still had plans for him.
God prepared a big fish that swallowed Jonah. A really big fish. I’m thinking a whale, but the Bible says fish. Is that too hard for God? Ummmm . . . NO!
Jonah spent three days in the belly of the fish.
Three.
Days.
Let that sink in a moment . . . three days in the belly of a fish. A nasty smelly fish. God’s version of a time-out.
Maybe you feel like you’ve been wandering around in the desert for what seems like forty years like Israel did. You’ve been running from God so long, you’ve even forgotten why you were running in the first place. Stop running.
Back on Land
After three days in the belly of the fish, Jonah was vomited up on land. Now, I’m sure you’ve never been in the belly of a fish – and lived to tell it, that is. Think about your stomach, though. There is stuff (whatever you ate for your last meal or two – all mushed up in there) and acids that help break down the stuff. I imagine a fish has the same thing going on in there – stuff it ate and acids.
I know this is kind of gross, but think about those stomach acids for a moment. What would stomach acid do to your skin and hair if you were subjected to it for three days? I’m thinking your skin and hair – if you had any left – would be bleached white. This is what the fish vomited up on land.
What a picture! If you were standing on the shore and saw a great fish come up close enough to land to spit something out, that would be really be amazing, right? But if the fish spit out a man – still alive – looking like Jonah did? YUCK! And the smell? Double YUCK!!
But it gets worse for Jonah. Worse even than getting swallowed and vomited by a fish . . . God gave him a second chance to do what He called Jonah to do in the first place. Go to Ninevah and preach.
News flash! God doesn’t forget the plans he has for us . . . even when we think He has.
God still expected Jonah to go to Ninevah – about two hundred miles away. Walking. Smelling like fish.
Ninevah Repents . . . But Jonah?
Jonah started walking. He walked many days before he got to the great city of Ninevah . . . a city of 120,000 people. When he got there, he started preaching. It was a short message, “In forty days, Ninevah will be destroyed.”
The people responded immediately. Everyone in the city repented and turned to God. God showed mercy to the citizens of Ninevah.
But Jonah was not a happy camper. How dare God show mercy on these people! These were the nastiest, meanest people on earth and God had shown them mercy. God forgave what Jonah would not forgive.
Sometimes we hold a grudge far longer than we should. It’s easier to nurture that hatred and let it grow in the deep, dark parts of our hearts. No one else understands how badly we were hurt. They can’t understand why we need to hold on to that anger. Someone needs to pay for what was done. God should just destroy that person.
But God doesn’t see things the same way we do, does He? He wants everyone to come to Him and be in a relationship with Him. He loves everyone. And that’s the key, isn’t it? He LOVES. It’s so hard to love people who have mistreated, cheated, lied and hurt us. And yet, Jesus forgave the people who crucified Him. Jesus never sinned but the Roman soldiers nailed Him to a cross – the same cross they used to kill criminals. Jesus paid the penalty for every sin that had ever, will ever and even now is being committed. One death, one payment for sin. Why? Because of LOVE.
Lessons from Jonah
I find two big lessons in this story:
- Stop running from God.
- Forgive others who have hurt you.
Jonah could have gone to Ninevah without running from God and he wouldn’t have been swallowed and vomited by a fish. He could have forgiven the people of Ninevah and watched how God worked in their lives. In either case, his life would have been so much better. Instead he chose to live out the rest of his life as a bitter, lonely man.
Let’s decide to stop running from God. Commit to doing whatever He is calling us to do:
- forgiving someone – Jesus preached that we should LOVE our enemies
- getting back into church or going to church more regularly
- maybe even starting a blog, or writing a book
- teaching a Sunday School class
- holding babies and changing diapers in the nursery during church
- inviting a friend who is struggling to church and introducing them to Jesus
- or reaching out in some other way to tell others about Jesus and His love
No matter who you are, no matter where you are, God wants a closer relationship with you. Don’t run away from Him. Run TO Him. Let Him wrap His arms around you, love you and fellowship with you.
Next Steps
You can hear all four sermons about Jonah from our Pastor, Andy Schelling. You’ll find the first 20 – 25 minutes or so of each recording is our Praise music. After that you will hear the message. Just click on the links below to hear more.
There’s a Little Bit of Jonah in all of Us
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