1The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2“Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
3But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. (Jonah 1)
Thoughts: Sometimes God not only opens a door- He encourages us, calls us, and even pushes us through it. God wanted the people of Ninevah (the capital of the Mediterranean world at the time) to repent. Jonah didn't want to go. Perhaps he saw that Ninevah would be Judah's enemy. Perhaps he knew how brutal and callous the people of Assyria and Ninevah were. Jonah chose instead to ignore the sending voice of God and go his own way. He chose to go to an ancient resort town of Tarshish. But God told him through a storm, some sailors, and a fish that he needed to listen. When God saved Noah from drowning, Jonah was more than willing to go. But when the people repented, Jonah regretted it. Jonah was more than willing for the "evil" people of Ninevah to die than to repent and be saved. But Jonah was wrong and the Lord told him so. The Lord told Jonah he needed not only to hear his voice but to trust God's heart. God cares for others, and invites us to care too.
Prayer: Lord, when you call, give me ears to hear. When you open a door, be patient with me and help me go through it.
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