UNCOMMEN: A to B, What's Your PathIsampula

Long Way Around The Ocean

Yesterday we spoke about Joseph, today we are going to talk about another significant person in the Bible: Jonah. If you are like me, you heard about Jonah growing up. Whether it was from Sunday School, reading it in the Bible, or even watching the VeggieTales movie, I was very well versed in the story of Jonah and the Whale. We will be walking through his story today and speaking about his path and what came of it. 

Jonah was a man who was called by God to go to Nineveh, an evil city filled with people who only sought to their fleshly desires, and call out against their evil actions. But when Jonah was called by God to go to Nineveh, Jonah chose a different path. He ran. He ran away from God, hopped on a ship heading to Tarshish, and tried to forget about Nineveh. God had a different plan for Jonah. 

While Jonah was on the boat trying to escape God, which in itself is a funny statement, a great storm rose up against the ship he was on. Terrified, the sailors cried out to all of their gods, trying to get the winds to stop. Only when Jonah told them that this was because he was fleeing from the Lord and told them to hurl him into the water did the storm cease. Once the winds stopped, and Jonah was in the water, God called a great fish to swallow up Jonah. He sat inside the belly of that fish for three days and three nights. I think it is easy to say that Jonah was probably asking himself how he got there. But this was the consequence of disobeying God. 

Eventually, the great fish spits Jonah on land and guess where he finds himself? That's right, Nineveh. God told Jonah a second time to rebuke the people of Nineveh. This time he listened. He went into the city and called out, "Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" Probably not what the people of Nineveh wanted to hear, but they needed to listen to it. The king put out a proclamation for every citizen and beast in the kingdom to repent and fast. Because they turned from their ways, God relented his judgment.

I can wholeheartedly state that Jonah probably did not like the path that placed him in Nineveh. But in the end, God opened his eyes to so much. It required God pushing Jonah back to Nineveh through the belly of a fish for Jonah to listen. I reflect on this story whenever I question the path I am on, asking myself why I needed to go through it. Many of the times, it took those specific events to push me closer to God.
 

Uncommen Questions: 

How often do you find yourself running from God's commands? 

How do you feel once you come back to God after pulling away?

Uncommen Challenge:

Find an accountability partner to keep you honest and truthful when you feel God calling you to a different path.

Scripture Reference:
Jonah 1-4