Running Away

There are times when people have heard God’s word and understood His specific will for their lives. Yet they turn and run.

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD (Jonah 1:1-3a)

What happened next wasn’t pleasant. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. (Jonah 1:4)

Today it appears there are plenty crying out against wickedness in this world. What we don’t see is Nineveh’s response: So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. (Jonah 3:5)

Oh, that we would do the same! Perhaps He would accept our repentance as He did theirs:

Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not. (Jonah 3:9-10)

Who are we to decide how to accomplish God’s purpose? Or with whom?

What disciple would have chosen the Pharisee Saul to spread the good news that Jesus was the Christ? Yet that was God’s plan. Perhaps Saul had been with groups of Pharisees confronting Jesus. It is written that he watched Stephen’s execution, holding the robes of participants. Yet this was the man chosen by God to do His work.

Have you heard of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: (Daniel 1:6b)? They were chosen, and did not run away. They were taken away and their names were changed to the now much more familiar -- and to Hananiah, of Shadrach; and to Mishael, of Meshach; and to Azariah, of Abednego. (Daniel 1:7b)

Yet through them we see what Nebuchadnezzar saw: Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. (Daniel 3:24-25)

Will we accept, as the King of Nineveh and Nebuchadnezzar, that there is no other God that can deliver after this sort. (Daniel 3:29)

Though, as Samuel, we may misunderstand at first, let us hear God’s words and respond as Samuel did: And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. (1 Samuel 3:10)

Only He knows what doors will be opened for us if we are willing to open and walk through them.