Reluctant Prophet, Relentless God
Jonah 1:1-3
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.
Jonah was given a specific assignment: to give mercy and repentance to the people of Ninevah. Instead, he believed they deserved severe judgment. His reluctance to preach at Ninevah was based upon a desire to see the Gentile city have a complete loss of power. Have you ever found yourself frustrated or reluctant in an assignment from God? If you’re like me, we may not look for the closest port to go on a distant ferry ride, but we have easily gone to deep measures to avoid or distract ourselves from what God is calling us to do.
Jonah was given an assignment from God, decided to run away from the responsibility, and believed he could escape the presence of God. Funny, right? Jonah had a hard heart, and he went to extreme measures to walk away from his calling. We all know the story: he boards a boat, a great storm comes, and Jonah tells the people to throw him off the boat into the depths of the ocean.
And in God’s loving kindness, He prepared a big fish to swallow Jonah for 3 days and 3 nights. God was pursuing him, even in the belly of a fish. You see, God wanted something more for Jonah. He wanted his heart, and He will do whatever it takes to have our hearts. So God prepared, in advance, for a giant fish to encounter and engulf Jonah so that He could meet with him in the belly of a fish. A dark, hidden, and quiet place.
Jonah 2:2-6
“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves… But you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord.”
It is here, in the quiet place, that Jonah begins to humble himself and encounter the pursuit of God. Not only did God rescue Him, but He allowed Jonah to get to the end of himself in hopes of surrendering his will.
Did you know that God wants to do the same with you? He wants to meet you in the secret place, grow your faith, and strengthen your roots. Don’t be afraid of the quiet or hidden seasons. I know I can be fearful, intimidated, and even dread the quiet seasons. But He wants our hearts, and He wants to meet you there.
God ultimately ordered the fish to spit Jonah out and called him again to deliver the message to Ninevah. God’s desire in this entire story was for Jonah to love God and love His people. He wanted his full heart. When Jonah finally arrived at his correct destination, the most amazing thing happened. His message of repentance started revival among the Ninevites!
Well, Jonah’s heart was unchanged, and he responded with anger and confusion. While Jonah was waiting for a time of wrath and judgment, God continued to pursue his heart. He prepared a plant to grow overnight in a location that shaded Jonah’s head. He was so grateful for God’s provision. Then the next day, God prepared a worm to cut through the plant so that it withered and left Jonah exposed to the extreme heat. Jonah was flat out angry at God! Ultimately, God responded to Jonah reminding him of his ultimate purpose and of God’s heart for His people to return to Him.
Jonah 4:10-11
Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Jonah was missing the point. He was more focused on justice and judgment and didn’t want mercy for these people. But again, God was after Jonah’s heart – to soften, to bend, to humble himself and to see a broken city in need of redemption. He doesn’t ask us to understand the assignment, or even to know the outcome. He wants us to get to the end of ourselves, surrender our will, and trust Him with every step of the way. God wants a softened heart that is connected to Him, one that is open and available.
Will you trust Him even when the assignment doesn’t make sense? Will you trust Him to fill you when the calling seems too big? Stay connected and watch Him change your heart.
Ephesians 3:16-19
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.
Jonah was given a specific assignment: to give mercy and repentance to the people of Ninevah. Instead, he believed they deserved severe judgment. His reluctance to preach at Ninevah was based upon a desire to see the Gentile city have a complete loss of power. Have you ever found yourself frustrated or reluctant in an assignment from God? If you’re like me, we may not look for the closest port to go on a distant ferry ride, but we have easily gone to deep measures to avoid or distract ourselves from what God is calling us to do.
Jonah was given an assignment from God, decided to run away from the responsibility, and believed he could escape the presence of God. Funny, right? Jonah had a hard heart, and he went to extreme measures to walk away from his calling. We all know the story: he boards a boat, a great storm comes, and Jonah tells the people to throw him off the boat into the depths of the ocean.
And in God’s loving kindness, He prepared a big fish to swallow Jonah for 3 days and 3 nights. God was pursuing him, even in the belly of a fish. You see, God wanted something more for Jonah. He wanted his heart, and He will do whatever it takes to have our hearts. So God prepared, in advance, for a giant fish to encounter and engulf Jonah so that He could meet with him in the belly of a fish. A dark, hidden, and quiet place.
Jonah 2:2-6
“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves… But you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord.”
It is here, in the quiet place, that Jonah begins to humble himself and encounter the pursuit of God. Not only did God rescue Him, but He allowed Jonah to get to the end of himself in hopes of surrendering his will.
Did you know that God wants to do the same with you? He wants to meet you in the secret place, grow your faith, and strengthen your roots. Don’t be afraid of the quiet or hidden seasons. I know I can be fearful, intimidated, and even dread the quiet seasons. But He wants our hearts, and He wants to meet you there.
God ultimately ordered the fish to spit Jonah out and called him again to deliver the message to Ninevah. God’s desire in this entire story was for Jonah to love God and love His people. He wanted his full heart. When Jonah finally arrived at his correct destination, the most amazing thing happened. His message of repentance started revival among the Ninevites!
Well, Jonah’s heart was unchanged, and he responded with anger and confusion. While Jonah was waiting for a time of wrath and judgment, God continued to pursue his heart. He prepared a plant to grow overnight in a location that shaded Jonah’s head. He was so grateful for God’s provision. Then the next day, God prepared a worm to cut through the plant so that it withered and left Jonah exposed to the extreme heat. Jonah was flat out angry at God! Ultimately, God responded to Jonah reminding him of his ultimate purpose and of God’s heart for His people to return to Him.
Jonah 4:10-11
Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Jonah was missing the point. He was more focused on justice and judgment and didn’t want mercy for these people. But again, God was after Jonah’s heart – to soften, to bend, to humble himself and to see a broken city in need of redemption. He doesn’t ask us to understand the assignment, or even to know the outcome. He wants us to get to the end of ourselves, surrender our will, and trust Him with every step of the way. God wants a softened heart that is connected to Him, one that is open and available.
Will you trust Him even when the assignment doesn’t make sense? Will you trust Him to fill you when the calling seems too big? Stay connected and watch Him change your heart.
Ephesians 3:16-19
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
We'd love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments what God is speaking to you as you read these devotionals. If you haven't already subscribed to receive our devotional emails right to your inbox, hit the subscribe button below and invite your family and friends to subscribe as well! Thank you for being a part of our Opendoor Devotional Community. We appreciate you!
No Comments