DON’T RUN AWAY
Jonah 1: 1-10
The word of the LORD came to Jonah, son of Amittai; Go to
the great city of Niveveh and preach against it, because
its wickedness has come up before me. Jonah 1: 1-2.
We are all familiar with the story of Jonah. He was a Jewish prophet sent to the Gentile city of Nineveh. Jonah received this assignment from the LORD. But he chose to run away from the assignment. The bible states here that he fled from the LORD, No. He was not really running away from the LORD. He knew that the presence of the LORD is everywhere. As a prophet he would be familiar with Psalm 139: 7-12
Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are thee. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say surely, the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me, even the darkness will not be dark to you, the night will shine like light to you.
Jonah was aware of God’s omnipresence. He knew he could not flee God’s presence. Rather, he was running away from the assignment. Some of us still do this today. We tend to run away from doing what God assigned us to do.
You may not run away from your geographical location like Jonah did (although some do this). Some will just refuse to do the assignment. Some run into other assignments not assigned by God. Some would change church just because they don’t want to do that which they were ordained to do. Some stop working because they are offended or they are not rewarded or appreciated. Some are even tired of the work. Beloved, there is no need to run away. If God sends you, he will enable you. Faithful is he that called, he also will do it. Don’t run away because of fear. Don’t run away because of another human being. Your place of assignment is your place of reward. Your allocation will come to your location.
Jonah’s example should teach us great lessons. You can’t run away from God. His arms are longer than where you are running to. He will get you there. Who knows whether the troubles you are going through (like Jonah’s storm) come as a result of that assignment you neglected? You may need to go back to that department, or pick up that responsibility you hurriedly dropped in church. Don’t wait until you become a sacrifice like Jonah. May God guide you.
PRAYER: Lord I rededicate my life to your service. I shall carry out my assigned tasks. Thank you Lord for trusting me with divine assignments
