It is good to ask a friend who is involved in the full-time ministry “how are you doing?” whenever we meet him or her. And hope he or she not doing like Jonah. What does it mean? Jonah is a well-known Sunday school story which involves a fascinating incident that a whale swallows Jonah who thrown to sea, kept him alive, and spit him on the shore after three days. The most import thing is that he disobeyed God instead of going to Nineveh he boarded on the ship to Tarshish. The book of Jonah starts with a rebellion.
Well, Jonah is not about a great fish or a vast city Nineveh or a rebellious prophet. It is about God. This book is about the story of God’s continuing grace and mercy. Also, how we respond to God’s will? Are we willing to share the love of God to others? We all know Jonah’s attitude towards God’s will when he was asked to do an impossible thing, asking him to go to Israel’s enemy.
However, when Word of God instructs us, we must listen and obey. The rebellion is not an option. “But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Jonah thought he could take it or leave it when the Word of the Lord came to him. Since he had a wrong attitude toward the Word of God. Though he acknowledged that “he couldn’t run away from God’s presence” (Ps. 139:7-12), he thought he had every right to turn away from God’s call. “God’s gift and his call are irrevocable” (Rom. 11:29). “Jonah needed Nineveh as much as Nineveh needed Jonah.” We grow in grace and become more like Christ, because it is the will of God. So how are we doing dear friends?