Which Way Are You Running?

How often have you heard or said to yourself “You can’t run from your responsibilities?”

For parents, that statement is used a lot in a child’s life. Children know that they have certain duties to fulfill. Some may include chores around the house, cleaning their rooms, laundry and even getting their schoolwork done.

Children have seen that their parents are aware if they are doing their personal responsibilities or not. They have repercussions for not doing what their parents have assigned them to do. They can’t “hide” when a duty is not performed – they can’t run. Parents will see that dirty room, see the chores not done, and even that report card. It would have been better for them at the time to just do what was required of them.

The story of Jonah is about the same issue – running from responsibility and from God. The story of Jonah is in the book of Jonah and it is only four chapters long. A quick story but a major lesson for us to heed.

The story of Jonah is quite simple. Jonah was told by God to go to a city called Nineveh and preach to them and warn them of their wickedness against God. Jonah though decides to disobey and run from God. Jonah decides to board a boat to another city in an attempt to “flee”. While on this boat a fierce storm broke out – a storm that was life-threatening to all on board.

The men aboard that boat knew that Jonah was the cause of this storm because of his own admission of guilt. Jonah then tells them to throw him overboard and that by doing that the storm would cease. So they did this at Jonah’s request and the sea grew calm again.

Jonah then was swallowed by a large fish and lived inside of this fish for 3 days and 3 nights. While he was inside the belly of this fish he started to pray. He repented of his ways to the Lord and then the fish vomited him out. Jonah at this point did go to the city of Nineveh and warned them like the Lord had asked him to. The city and its entire people repented of their ways and because of this the Lord saved them from destruction and the wrath of God.

One may ask, “Why did it take him 3 days to repent?” “Why wouldn’t he just obey God’s voice and commands?” Perhaps the question should be turned around to ourselves. How many times has God told us to do something even something simple and we “run”?

The “running” usually though lasts longer than 3 days in most cases. How much brokenness do we inflict on ourselves before we let go of “ourselves” and return to the presence of God?

We cannot hide from God – ever! He always knows exactly where we are. When Jonah boarded that boat he probably thought to himself “I’m safe in this boat – I can get away from going to Nineveh”.

When God calls us to do something He will not let us give Him the so-called “slip”. He has chosen each of us for a particular assignment and no amount of running will change that.

God chose one man to help deliver 120,000 people from destruction. Now that’s not to say each of us is called to help deliver 120,000 people but even one person is just as important to God as 120,00. Whatever the Lord is asking of us big or small He will equip us with every tool we need. We cannot “run” from our responsibilities to our God. Each of us was created for something – something that glorifies God. There is no use in “running” or trying to “hide” from God because He is always “aware” of us and where we are. We need to be obedient in everything He asks of us – everything!

Deuteronomy 28:1 tells us this “If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands I give you today the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth”.

Think of all that Jonah went through because of his “running” and disobedience. Ask yourself this important question “Am I running from God or am I running towards God?” If you’re running away from God then turn back and run toward Him.