All InSample

Nowhere to Run
Amber Simonson

In this passage, Jonah is angry that God led him to Tarshish to deliver a warning that God would ultimately have mercy on the people of the city. It was always in God’s plan to have mercy on the people of Tarshish, but Jonah had a difficult time understanding why he was even involved in this command.

Jonah received a call from God to go to Nineveh, but Jonah decided to travel in the opposite direction to run from God. God brought Jonah to Tarshish not only to deliver His message and bring people closer to Him but also to transform Jonah. According to worldly standards, the city did not deserve to be saved. They had done all the wrong things. In the same way, we do not deserve and cannot earn God’s grace, love, and forgiveness. But good news! God saves by His grace, not our worthiness.

When I graduated from college, I was very excited to get into the career of my dreams. I had studied hard and felt like I was about to step into a calling God had put on my life since I was very young. I thought I had it all figured out. Little did I know that my job would walk me through triumphant victories and devastating heartbreaks over the next four years. I thought I knew how my life would play out after graduation, but God has shown me how to love people in a new way despite difficulties.

Following God means saying yes to the journey even when you do not know the outcome.

Tomorrow is not promised. Be ALL IN today; this may be an opportunity you will only get once.

Jonah was repeatedly disobedient to God; could you imagine how his story would have been different if Jonah was all in? What is keeping you from going all in with Jesus? How can you have a good attitude towards the results of God’s work regardless of the outcome?