The Fire Withinنمونہ

MAN ON THE RUN

READ

Jonah was a prophet who could hear from God. This means he already had a relationship with God and was serving Him by sharing His Word with other people. But when God gave him a call to go to Nineveh, the capital of the Assyrian Empire, Jonah rejected God’s call and ran away.

Maybe it was out of fear or of hatred for the Ninevites for enslaving the Israelites, but whatever his reason, Jonah wanted nothing to do with God’s call in his life. He ran as far as he could to Tarshish, which was totally in the opposite direction of Nineveh. But his life only got worse as he ran away from the call of God.

Like Jonah, it is possible for us to have a relationship with God and still reject a specific call He gives us. Maybe it is a call to pray for someone we do not like or to forgive people who have wronged us. Maybe it is a call to step up to a new level of leadership. Whatever it is, trust that God knows what He is doing when He calls you. And the safest, best, most peaceful and prosperous place to be is right in the middle of His will.

REFLECT

1. What is one thing that you know God is calling you to do but you are fleeing from?
2. How does knowing that God has called you for a specific purpose affect the way that you live everyday?

RESPOND

1. Take the time to pray and ask God for His grace in order to obey what He has called you to do. Repent for disobeying and running away from His call if necessary.
2. Knowing that God has called you for a purpose, think and list down some attitudes and habits that you know are hindering you from walking into the purposes of God.