Running scared

There are many good reasons to run. Running is a great way to get fit. Running can help you get away from dangerous situations fast. And often kids run just because it is fun or they are feeling excited.

When Jonah ran, it wasn't for any of these reasons.

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 . He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”

Jonah 1:1-6

Jonah ran to get as far away from the place he was supposed to be as he could possibly get. When he was confronted with the sea, he couldn't run any further, so he got into a boat!

Why the rush Jonah? Why are you seeking to get so far, so fast?

We'll discover the many dimensional answer to this question over the next few days as we spend time in the book on Jonah. Today, let's simply notice that Jonah ran to get away from the Lord. He was disobeying God. He didn't want to hear God any longer. He didn't want to be near to him. So Jonah ran, in the opposite direction than God said.

It seems foolish, yet we all do it.

We may not run, but there are times when we choose to ignore God. We may not run, but we don't put ourselves in the place where we can hear him. We avoid the bible and church. We stay away from other Christians.

If we do so, don't be surprised if God turns up the volume.

He loves you too much to let you run from him.