Jonah - Running from God
Robert Dawson
Jonah
I read about a 4-year-old little girl who was the classic strong-willed child. She kept trying to go AWOL on her tricycle. Her mom, worried about her adventurous spirit and daring, said, ''Look there is a tree right here and a driveway right there. You can ride your tricycle down the driveway and on the sidewalk to this tree, but you can't go past the tree. If you go past the tree or on the other side of the driveway, you are going to get a spanking. I've got to go inside because I have to clean the kitchen, but I am going to be watching you. Don't go past either of those boundaries or you are going to get a spanking! Do you understand?'' The little girl looked at her mom for a moment, got off her tricycle, backed up to her mom, pointed to her bottom and said, ''You might as well spank me now, because I've got places to go and things to do.''
At different points in our life, we can all sympathize with the momma and the little girl. We've had those, I don't care, just go ahead and beat me moments. We wanted what we wanted regardless of what others said or the consequences. That attitude describes the prophet Jonah, one that says, ''I hear you. I understand but I don't wanna' and I ain't gonna.''
The story of Jonah is one of the most widely known in all the Bible. Even though the storyline is familiar, the lessons are still important and worth revisiting. Once again, we find one of God's servants in one of those what are you doing here, how'd you get here, kind of moments and are reminded that God still loves and uses very flawed people.
Who was Jonah? Here's some of what we know. He was a prophet to the nations and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. His daddy was a prophet. They were from Amittai which was not far from Nazareth.
From what we know, Israel was enjoying a season of relative peace and prosperity. From a political and economic perspective, life in the Northern Kingdom was good but from a spir ...
Robert Dawson
Jonah
I read about a 4-year-old little girl who was the classic strong-willed child. She kept trying to go AWOL on her tricycle. Her mom, worried about her adventurous spirit and daring, said, ''Look there is a tree right here and a driveway right there. You can ride your tricycle down the driveway and on the sidewalk to this tree, but you can't go past the tree. If you go past the tree or on the other side of the driveway, you are going to get a spanking. I've got to go inside because I have to clean the kitchen, but I am going to be watching you. Don't go past either of those boundaries or you are going to get a spanking! Do you understand?'' The little girl looked at her mom for a moment, got off her tricycle, backed up to her mom, pointed to her bottom and said, ''You might as well spank me now, because I've got places to go and things to do.''
At different points in our life, we can all sympathize with the momma and the little girl. We've had those, I don't care, just go ahead and beat me moments. We wanted what we wanted regardless of what others said or the consequences. That attitude describes the prophet Jonah, one that says, ''I hear you. I understand but I don't wanna' and I ain't gonna.''
The story of Jonah is one of the most widely known in all the Bible. Even though the storyline is familiar, the lessons are still important and worth revisiting. Once again, we find one of God's servants in one of those what are you doing here, how'd you get here, kind of moments and are reminded that God still loves and uses very flawed people.
Who was Jonah? Here's some of what we know. He was a prophet to the nations and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. His daddy was a prophet. They were from Amittai which was not far from Nazareth.
From what we know, Israel was enjoying a season of relative peace and prosperity. From a political and economic perspective, life in the Northern Kingdom was good but from a spir ...
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