Have you ever tried to run away from God? David talks about this in Psalm 139;
“O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I’m going to say even before I say it, Lord.” Psalm 139:1-4
Is it possible to get away from God? Can you move yourself far enough away that He can’t reach you?
When I was a kid, I used to get so mad when my parents would tell me to clean my room. Usually it was because I already knew what state my room was in. I already knew it needed to be cleaned, but I didn’t like them telling me to do it.
Similarly, in the first chapter, in the book of Jonah;
“The Word came to Jonah and told him to get up, go to Ninevah, that great big city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”
In other words, it’s filthy in Ninevah and it needs to be cleaned up. It’s been a mess for too long.
And just like little Mary, Jonah didn’t want to be told it was his responsibility to clean the rooms of Ninevah.
“But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.” Jonah 1:3
Little Mary couldn’t run away and charter a boat to get away from my parents authority or commands (actually I tried that once. I stayed out all night instead of going home. Dad called the police and reported my car stolen. That was a long, bad night), but I could and did drag my feet, do other things, wait until the middle of the night and put it off as long as possible.
“I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me.”
Psalm 139:7-10
God called Jonah to go to Ninevah, which is east of Israel, but Jonah is sailing to Tarshish in the far west. Jonah went in the direction furthest from where God wanted him to be.
“But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart.” Jonah 1:4
I was being disobedient to my parents by not cleaning my room when my parents asked (or coming home after prom my senior year). Jonah was being disobedient to God by running away and not going to Ninevah.
The consequences of my disobedience caused me to be grounded and lose privileges for a long time. It also caused my parents to lose trust in me. The consequences of Jonah’s disobedience caused the entire crew of the ship to be put at risk of losing their lives. It also caused them to throw Jonah into the sea in hopes of saving themselves.
But God.
But God calmed the storm. But God used His miraculous display of power to be his witness to the sailors who were in awe of him. But God arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah and save his life. But God used Jonah’s disobedience to bring salvation, to the sailors who witnessed God’s power firsthand and to the Ninevites through Jonah’s eventual obedience.
The Enemy wants our disobedience and he uses it for destruction. Thank you Jesus that what the Enemy wants to use to harm us, God uses to bring glory and honor to him!
What has God called you to do in your life that you are putting off, running away from, dragging your feet on? What does he want you to EXCHANGE that will bring glory and honor to him and perhaps salvation to others?
“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:23-24
Don’t delay. Surrender your will to the Lord today. Delayed obedience is still disobedience. God can and will use your long, bad night or three days in the belly of a fish to bring salvation to others. Hallelujah!
