Jonah: Episode One
Welcome to the land of ‘I don’t want to’. You’ve traveled there, more often than you’d admit, but it’s not a place to remain. If you’re a believer your attitude should be ‘not my will but Yours’ imitating Jesus, but often our pride and self-centeredness keeps us in the land of ‘I don’t want to’ … so you don’t.
The prophet Jonah, authorized to speak for God, entered that land after refusing his assignment to Ninevah, an idolatrous city. Yes, they were ruthlessly violent, and yes, full of immorality, but when God sends someone on a mission He expects obedience. Jonah missed that detail. His mission was to announce God’s judgment because their sin had reached it’s limit, therefore, without repentance they’ll suffer punishment. Jonah didn’t really care about these pagans so he ran from God’s Presence. This lower story should cause us to think about our own life: the upper story. God, the Spirit, gives us assignments as well, however, sometimes we spiritually run to the land of ‘I don’t want to’ when it impedes our personal choices or challenges our perspectives.
Is it possible God’s drawing you to a life-change, maybe a sin or temptation you’ve rationalized is OK with Him because you’re not hurting anyone. Porn, alcohol, laziness, overeating, anger, offenses, etc. are examples of ways we flee God’s Presence refusing to obey and acknowledge His way is always better for us. The land of ‘I don’t want to’ gives the enemy opportunities to put distance in our relationship with HIm giving way to consequences of our rebellious choices. Can a true Christian run from His Presence?
Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, You are there! Psalm 139:7-8
I guess not; He loves us too much for that to happen.
You know the story, Jonah bolted to a ship headed for Spain (ancient Tarshish), subsequently, God stymied his voyage with obstructions delaying any progress: a Level 4 hurricane. After receiving no help from pagan gods, the sailors threw their cargo overboard but Jonah was sleeping in the hold. The Captain commanded, “Get up, you sleeper, and pray!” Sound familiar? The Apostle Paul used the same phrase in Eph. 5:13-21 as he encouraged us to walk in the light and wisdom of God’s Word. The days hold the same temptations as Jonah’s to flee from God’s Presence, reject His assignments, but we, unlike Jonah, have the continual, flowing power of the Spirit to help us die to self, our personal choices, and to our opinions and perspectives. He cares deeply about us,
… what are mere mortals that You should think about them, human beings that You should care for them? Psalms 8:4
It’s time to leave the land of ‘I don’t want to’ and return to God’s best for our lives, not in our own strength but in His.
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