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We begin our study of Jonah with Jonah 1:1-3. While I am sure you are able to find the passage yourself and indeed that you may know Jonah's story inside-out I like my translation the best so here's the passage for this week:

'Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.' But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.'

This passage covers Jonah's entry, and in quite a short space of time gives us a general idea of what is going to happen. Like all classic sermons this article will have three points; I'm sure that we will be mightily stirred as we look at these verses together.

...the word of the Lord came...

This week I am due to have my annual appraisal at work. It is a chance for me to tell my managers how the company is benefitting from my presence, as well as a chance for us together to set my own personal targets so I can get the most out of my job. In other words, we talk about me for a bit. Me me me. Because I'm worth it.

The opening words of Jonah's book remind us of the true order of things. The word of the Lord came to Jonah, not the other way around. It becomes very tempting to think about what I'm doing for God - we sing songs like 'I'm gonna trust in God', 'I'll dance and sing', 'I'm gonna take it to the streets', and 'I've found Jesus' and we lose the awe we should have when we realise that actually Jesus found us! If I were writing this book I'd probably start with the words, 'Now Jonah heard the word of the Lord', but that's not what the Bible says - His word came to Jonah.

And we also know that His Word came to us. 'The Word became flesh and dwelt among us' (John 1:14); it is so important for us to recognise that the reason for us being Christians is not because of us - if it were anything to do with what we'd done there would be no hope for any of us. God reached into our dead lives and brought us to life. He came to us, lived the life we could not live, died the death we should have died and now we're in a relationship with Him, all because He made that move. Let's begin this study not thinking about what we can get out of it, but recognising who God is and what He has done in our lives.

...found a ship...

What happens next is very interesting. God calls Jonah to the task set aside for him and Jonah immediately rises to flee. He doesn't like the sound of what God has in store for him, so he looks for something else. I have met many Christians who say that they in trying to seek God's will for their lives they push at doors until God allows one to open. These are often the same people who say, 'if God closes a door, He always opens a window.' While, of course, I believe that God is in control I do not think we should discount the fact that, perhaps, Satan could be the one opening the windows.

Jonah did not want to follow God's call on his life so he looked for a way out. And behold, he 'found a ship going to Tarshish'. Here's the stern warning: if we look for ways to disobey God, Satan will always be there offering options. There will always be 'a ship going to Tarshish' and it's just as easy for us to climb on board as it was for Jonah. Let us not be those who blindly jump at every opportunity life offers, but let us react positively to God's word, and with discernment judge opportunities that life offers. I do not want to be that guy who should be headed for Nineveh but is heading for Tarshish instead.

A friend of mine is about to take his family and plant a church in Istanbul, Turkey. It is the largest unreached nation on the planet with less than 2,000 Christians in the total population - a daunting prospect yet one that God has called him to. I am certain that ships have been available to take him to nice country churches with wonderful schools for his children and rich congregations so he can live well but he will not board the ship - let our gaze be fixed on Jesus and let us hear what he has to say personally to us.

...away from the presence of the Lord.

Here comes the punchline. Last week I mentioned that the overwhelming sense throughout this book is one of satire, of humour; Jonah is an idiot! Next week we will see that Jonah mentions God as ‘the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’ At what point did he think that climbing into some boat and heading towards Tarshish would enable him to get ‘away from the presence of the Lord’?

Often I have found myself thinking, ‘if only God would speak to me like He spoke to the Old Testament prophets – oh, to hear the literal words of God! Yet Jonah heard the word of God and tried to flee from His presence! Not only does that simply appear to be an odd reaction, it is clearly impossible; have a little read of Psalm 139 and see if biblically we can actually flee from His presence. The answer is no. We should, therefore, strive for wisdom. I do not want to be the idiot that hears the voice of God and turns the other way, although I fear I may already fit that category. Let us, today, ask God to fill us with His Spirit of wisdom that we might recognise God’s voice when He speaks, that we would respond in the best way possible and that we would do it in a logical, God-glorifying way.

I do not know if, when I get to heaven, I will see all the opportunities God gave me that I missed. I doubt that I will but I certainly want to know that I used the situations offered to me according to the word of the Lord. Let’s be honest, if we tried to live our lives for God without His help we’d do the same things that Jonah did; let us ask for God’s help, and never stop asking!

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

The Fulfilling Marriage