2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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DO WE RUN AWAY FROM GOD’S CALL?
SEP 13
Jonah 1-2
Memorise Jonah 1:3 "but Jonah arise up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord"
DO WE RUN AWAY FROM GOD’S CALL?
The call that came from God to Jonah was clear and undeniable. He was to "go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me (God)" (Jonah 1:2). As a prophet of God, his duty was to humbly obey. He was to go where God would send him, to speak whatever God wants him to speak. However, he did the exact opposite. He got on the boat to go towards Tarshish, the furthest place he knew from where God wanted him to go! He did so thinking he could flee from the presence of God.
Why did he want to flee so much? It was because of his great hatred and prejudice against the Assyrians in Nineveh. They were the enemies of the people of Israel, and were a cruel and wicked people. Jonah knew that God was a gracious and merciful God, and would be able to save even the people of Nineveh! For Jonah, the thought of preaching to them and bringing the gospel of salvation to them was unthinkable! He did not want God to spare them from judgment, for by his own reckoning he felt that they deserved the worst punishment God could give them. Thus he took matters and judgments into his own hands and bought passage to Tarshish, thinking he could run away from God’s call.
We all know what happened after that. We might be able to run physically, but we can never leave the presence of God. God’s promise is that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and will always be with us. God Himself was the one who sent the great storm upon the ship (Jonah 1:4), and ordered it such that the lot fell upon Jonah (Jonah 1:7), and prepared the great fish to swallow him up (Jonah 1:17). There was indeed no running away, for God was with him every step of the way, showing His power and bringing Jonah back to Himself to obey His will.
When God wants us to serve Him, He will make sure that we do. When He has a task set for us, we must always be quick to obey, and not run away like Jonah did. Indeed, it is a great privilege to serve the Lord. If God makes it clear to us that we are to serve Him in some way or another, we must be quick to avail ourselves and fulfil His will.
Thought: You may run but you cannot hide (from God)!
Prayer: Lord, may You give me a ready and willing heart to serve You in every and any way possible.
Posted in Teens RPG
Jonah 1-2
Memorise Jonah 1:3 "but Jonah arise up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord"
DO WE RUN AWAY FROM GOD’S CALL?
The call that came from God to Jonah was clear and undeniable. He was to "go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me (God)" (Jonah 1:2). As a prophet of God, his duty was to humbly obey. He was to go where God would send him, to speak whatever God wants him to speak. However, he did the exact opposite. He got on the boat to go towards Tarshish, the furthest place he knew from where God wanted him to go! He did so thinking he could flee from the presence of God.
Why did he want to flee so much? It was because of his great hatred and prejudice against the Assyrians in Nineveh. They were the enemies of the people of Israel, and were a cruel and wicked people. Jonah knew that God was a gracious and merciful God, and would be able to save even the people of Nineveh! For Jonah, the thought of preaching to them and bringing the gospel of salvation to them was unthinkable! He did not want God to spare them from judgment, for by his own reckoning he felt that they deserved the worst punishment God could give them. Thus he took matters and judgments into his own hands and bought passage to Tarshish, thinking he could run away from God’s call.
We all know what happened after that. We might be able to run physically, but we can never leave the presence of God. God’s promise is that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and will always be with us. God Himself was the one who sent the great storm upon the ship (Jonah 1:4), and ordered it such that the lot fell upon Jonah (Jonah 1:7), and prepared the great fish to swallow him up (Jonah 1:17). There was indeed no running away, for God was with him every step of the way, showing His power and bringing Jonah back to Himself to obey His will.
When God wants us to serve Him, He will make sure that we do. When He has a task set for us, we must always be quick to obey, and not run away like Jonah did. Indeed, it is a great privilege to serve the Lord. If God makes it clear to us that we are to serve Him in some way or another, we must be quick to avail ourselves and fulfil His will.
Thought: You may run but you cannot hide (from God)!
Prayer: Lord, may You give me a ready and willing heart to serve You in every and any way possible.
Posted in Teens RPG