Jonah 1 Following Jesus When You’d Rather Run AwaySample

The Inescapable Presence of our God

Can you relate to Jonah? Has God ever asked you to do something that you didn’t want to do? Why is it that we don’t do what God tells us to do? God told Jonah to go and preach. We, as followers of Jesus, have the same command in Matthew 28:19-20. And today, we have even less reason than Jonah for our disobedience.

Instead of walking in obedience and going to Nineveh, Jonah runs to Tarshish. Jonah’s intent was blatantly obvious: to get as far away as possible from God’s presence, but it was a futile attempt.

We read in Psalm 139:7-10 that there is no place we could venture to where God’s Spirit does not dwell. He is omnipresent. He is everywhere, always, at all times.

• Do you struggle to believe this about our God?
• How should the reality that you cannot escape God’s presence change the way you live today?
• What has God been asking you to do that you have been running in the opposite direction of?
• What step of obedience do you need to take today?

Pray: Thank God that He is near and that His presence is inescapable. Ask God to reveal the areas in your life where you are trying to run away from Him. Ask Him where He is leading you today so you can follow.