Uncommen: CalledSample

Screening Calls

Jonah 1:3 ~ But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

Poor Jonah always gets used as a case study for not doing this, and we are going to pile on a bit as well. The reason we are is that God gives Jonah clear direction.

Jonah 1:1 ~ "Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying." I don't think Jonah appreciated getting a word from God, as most of us may wait for a word from God. Some prayers get answered with a gentle reassurance of the Holy Spirit; sometimes, you get a feeling, and sometimes, there is silence.

Is Dana the woman you have for me to marry, Lord?

God: Yes, Dana is the one. Go ask her to marry you today at 2 pm.

While that would be very helpful, it would probably scare me half to death. We would get input that we may not like and do a lot of the same. This brings us back to Jonah, hearing the Word from God, putting out desires before God's. Jonah didn't like the Word he got from God and tried to run away. Or, as I like to say, Jonah books himself a three-day cruise by running away from God. We have the benefit of reading Jonah's cautionary tale but learn from it.

How often would we "screen that call" if God were to tell us what He wants us to do all the time? God told Moses to tell Pharaoh to let his people go. Moses tried his best to get out of doing it. God told Jonah to go tell the Ninevehvites to repent, and Jonah ran away because he didn't like the Ninevehvites and didn't want them to be forgiven.

We impede God's plan when we try to change it to what we would rather than what God wants us to do.

Stop screening the call and listen to God. After all, we can't outrun the Holy Spirit.

Questions:

Are you screening a call from God because you don't like what He's asking you?

How has it worked out for you?

Challenge:

I challenge us all to be thankful when we get a Word from God and trust that His ways are better than ours.