Running Away

"I'm running away."

I can remember uttering that as a child often.  Anytime I didn't like a parental decision, fought with my brother or just didn't get my way, I'd grab a backpack full of toys, sling it over my shoulders and declare my independence.  I'd yell that famous phrase as I'd leave out the door, walk to the porch and never really leave to go anywhere.

As human beings, we have a desire to run from the problems we face in life.  When something becomes to difficult or takes place out of our comfort zone, our tendency is to leave the situation. We run from our problems, our responsibilities and our commitments.  Sometimes with little or no notice.

That's exactly what Jonah did.

In Jonah 1, God gave Jonah an order.  Go to Nineveh, Israel's enemy, and deliver a message.  Tell them of their imminent destruction.  Prophecy against the nation to the very people who live there.

You see, God wanted Jonah to get personally involved.  He wanted him to look into the eyes of the condemned and deliver a message of doom for the city and the nation for angering God.

And Jonah didn't like that one bit. So he ran. He tried to go as far away as possible from the presence of the Lord. He went in the opposite direction of Nineveh. He made a statement:  He was not going to do as God had asked.

In fact, it's the only time in scripture where a prophet of the Lord refused to followed God's commission.

Now, I hope you know you can't ignore God forever and you certainly can't outrun his reach.  God is omnipresent, which means his presence is everywhere.  You can't get away from him.

Jonah knew that.  He was a prophet.  Yet, he still ran.

We do the same thing.  We know God is calling us to share the Gospel, and we choose not to share.  We know God wants us to attend church, but we find an excuse not to go.  We know God calls us to pray and meditate, but we find something else in our schedule that's more important.

We run from our responsibilities as a believer in Jesus.

But it's not too late.  You can stop running and start obeying.  It just takes a decision to stand and listen and act.

The choice, though, is yours.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Devotion to a false god

Image
Last week, at Disney World, I went to retrieve our stroller from the stroller parking section.  As I searched among the hundred or so strollers, I finally found mine and started to move it.  As I pulled, it snagged on a woman's garment.  Panicked, I looked up and saw it was a Muslim women in full Muslin dress.  Her body was completely covered.  Only a slit for her eyes was visible.  I was careful not to yank, and I tried to apologize as the hook of the handle caught part of her garment.  She didn't say a word and we both quietly went on our ways. As I walked away, I felt pity on her.  For one, it's Disney World in June in Florida.  I strode along in shorts and a very thin T-shirt.  Both were soaked in sweat.  I had already consumed two bottles of water and still felt weary.  She was dressed head to toe in heavy garments.  I can't imagine how hot she was pushing a stroller with two kids through a mass of people in hum...
Read more

Bearing Responsbility

Image
I remember when my daughter was first born. Amid the excitement and joy came an overwhelming feeling.  This baby, which I held in my hands, was now my responsibility.  When she got sick, needed feeding, required a diaper change, or had to be corrected and taught, those responsibilities fell to me as her father.  In a matter of a few minutes, I had been entrusted with a new life on planet earth. Looking back on that day six years ago, I was excited but scared.  Yet, that is nothing compared to the responsibility Joesph must have felt.  Joseph was a righteous man, according to scripture, and he knew one thing for certain - Jesus was not his biological son.  Thus, he planned to divorce Mary quietly and be rid of the whole matter. And before we vilify Joseph, know that he could have done much worse.  By law, Mary could have been stoned to death.  His divorce was a form of mercy.  She would live and he would be rid of the stigma of an unfait...
Read more

Following Jesus' Example

Jesus was not a convential man. Often, when Jesus taught, he challenged the status quo.  He also liked to use object lessons and parables to illustrate his points about faith and a relationship with God. One night after dinner, during the last week of his life before the resurrection, he finished eating, took off his outer garment, grabbed a towel and started to wash the disciples' feet. Stunned, Peter protested, but Jesus said it had to be done.  He had to allow Jesus, his rabbi, his teacher, his Lord, to become a servant and wash Peter's dirty, worn feet.  So he did.  Jesus washed all their feet that night.  Then he said:  You need to do this too. Too often in Christianity today, there is an attitude of moral superiority.  We love to build beautiful church buildings, boast of our attendance, brag about our programs and talk about the money we give.  At the same time, we turn our nose up to the alcoholics and drug addicts and homeless and...
Read more