Running from God
Sometimes we find ourselves headed in the wrong direction. Maybe you know what God wants you to do, but you're running the opposite way. You're not alone. There's a bit of Jonah in all of us.
The Ancient Symbol of Faith
In the ancient Roman city of Aquileia in northern Italy, there is a church built in 313 AD, when Christians could finally worship openly after centuries of persecution. The primary symbol the church uses is not a cross. It is Jonah being swallowed by the great fish.
Jesus said that the sign of his messiahship was Jonah. Three days. Three days and then the resurrection. This powerful image became the symbol of the Christian faith across the early Roman Empire.
The Problem of Running
Jonah 1:1-3 tells us,
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.
Instead of heading east to Nineveh (modern-day Iraq), Jonah boarded a ship heading west to Tarshish (likely Spain), literally running to the opposite end of the known world to escape God's call.
Ways We Run From God
There are many ways we run from God:
Resisting God: Like Adam and Eve who "hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden" (Genesis 3), we sometimes flat-out resist God's plan.
Fear: Remember when Jesus was arrested? Matthew 26 tells us "all the disciples deserted him and fled." Fear makes us run when following Jesus gets uncomfortable. Comfort zones are where dreams go to die.
Over-involvement: Many of us are simply too busy. If you're too busy for your friends and you're too busy for your family and you're too busy for your health, then you're just too busy. And if you're too busy to stop and listen to God, then you're definitely too busy.
Neglect: We passively ignore God. The word of the Lord came to Jonah and the word of the Lord has come to you. Don't neglect it.
Guilt: If Satan can't get you to do something really evil and ruin your life, his plan B is to get you to feel so guilty about your past life that you take yourself out of the game.
When You Hit Bottom, Look Up
When the storm raged and Jonah was thrown overboard, "the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights" (Jonah 1:17).
In those dark moments, Jonah looked up. As C.S. Lewis famously said, "Pain insists on being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, he speaks to us in our conscience, and he shouts to us in our pain."
God Loves Second Chances
The beautiful message of Jonah is that God gives second chances. Just like he did with Peter after his denial, with Paul after persecuting Christians, and with David after his grave sins.
Jesus himself highlighted the importance of Jonah's story in Matthew 12: "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."
Jesus staked his entire story on this parallel. When Jesus wanted to tell the story that really nobody expected – that the Messiah was going to sacrifice his life and pay for the sins of the world and then be raised on the third day – he gave one sign. And that sign was the sign of Jonah.
Putting It Into Practice
If you find yourself running from God today, remember these four simple truths from God:
"I love you"
"I am with you"
"Don't be afraid"
"You can come home"
No matter how far you've run, God is still pursuing you with love. Like the father of the prodigal son who ran to embrace his returning child, God isn't waiting to scold you, he's eager to welcome you home. Today can be your day to stop running. The God who gave Jonah a second chance is offering the same to you. Will you turn around and come home?
Reflection
In what ways have I been running from God's direction in my life? Am I resisting, fearful, over-involved, neglectful, or burdened by guilt?
What "storms" has God allowed in my life to get my attention and turn me back toward Him?
Where might God be calling me to go that feels uncomfortable or frightening, like Nineveh was for Jonah?
How have I experienced God's second chances in my life, and how might I respond to His invitation to "come home"?
Application
Today, take time to listen for God's word to you. Practice "praying the Scriptures" by selecting a passage (perhaps from Jonah), reading it three times and asking: What word or phrase stands out to me? Why might this word be significant? What is God saying to me through it? What is my next step in response to God's word?
Remember that comfort zones are where dreams go to die. God may be calling you to step out in faith toward your own "Nineveh." Trust that even if you've been running, God loves to give second chances and welcomes you home with open arms.
Prayer
God, thank you for your persistent love that pursues me even when I run. Forgive me for the ways I've resisted your call through fear, busyness, neglect, or guilt. Like Jonah, I sometimes find myself heading in the opposite direction of where you want me to go. When storms come, help me to look up and recognize your voice. Thank you for the second chances you so generously give. Help me respond to your call with obedience and trust, knowing that your plans for me are good. In Jesus' name, Amen.
