Fleeing, Found....And Fish

*The following article is an excerpt from Mikayla Briggs' book Love, Learn, Grow 

A great city called Nineveh fell to sin and wickedness. God called Jonah to journey there, preach against their wickedness, and turn them back to the Lord. Rather than answer God’s call and fulfill his duty, Jonah found a ship in Joppa and ran away. 
​
While on this runaway ship full of other sailors, a powerful wind came about and rocked them on the treacherous waters. The men prayed to their gods in desperate attempts to free themselves from danger. Soon after, they cast lots to lay the blame on one of the poor, unfortunate men upon the ship.

Lo and behold, the lot fell on Jonah. Thinking Jonah somehow caused the vicious storm, they threw him overboard to protect themselves, believing this act would improve the situation. Surprisingly, it did. The storm stopped and the men found themselves safe, but the same could not be said for Jonah. 

The sea pulled and tugged him along until “the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah” (Jonah 1:17). While he sat in the belly of the whale for three days, he prayed to the Lord and thanked Him for answering his call of distress. When he praised God for coming through, God commanded the fish to release Jonah onto dry land.

Despite all that occurred, God still called him to preach to the city of Nineveh so that the Ninevites could turn away from their sin. The second time must have been the charm, because Jonah listened and relayed God’s message. He spent three days traveling through Nineveh and sharing with the people. 

Finally, Jonah reached the king, who ordered the people to call on the Lord and lay down their sinful lives. In response to this obedience, God spared the city from destruction.

I love this story, because there are multiple themes hidden among the more evident ones from which we can all gain wisdom. The first and most obvious lesson reveals itself at the beginning of the book when Jonah ran away from God. 

Though God asked him to carry out this mission, Jonah disobeyed and tried to avoid God. I find this part ironic and amusing. How did Jonah think he could run away from God? He’s everywhere! Nothing is hidden from the Lord, not even the deepest corners of our minds. That aspect of faith might sound intimidating and unnerving for someone trying to avoid God, but for others, it provides immense comfort.

This part of the story led me to reflect. In what ways do we evade God’s call? When do we run away from our duty as followers of Jesus? 

Today, I think this looks less like preaching to a fallen city and more like failing to show kindness to the neighbor next door. It also happens when we neglect our duties as brothers, sisters, friends, parents, wives, and husbands. Maybe you see the girl at church who always sits by herself and ignore her when Christ would rather have you show love. Maybe you notice the school bully picking on the new kid and let the incident slide. Perhaps you notice your neighbor struggling with a heavy package and decide to turn the other way. 

Where do you run from God? How can you turn around and fulfill the call of Jesus?

Second, after Jonah fell overboard and aimlessly floated in the treacherous waves, a fish came along and swallowed him up. If you read this passage with careful attention, the language is interesting. Chapter 1:17 reads: “Now the Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.”

Provided. The Lord provided a huge fish to swallow him.

Hmm, let’s keep reading.

Jonah responded to this event in chapter 2:2: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help and you listened to my cry.”
I found this passage intriguing. Jonah has been thrown off a boat, tossed around in the ocean, and now eaten by a fish. The word “provided” implies a positive connotation. Jonah solidified this with his prayer. If I were thrown off a boat and eaten by a fish, I wouldn’t jump for joy and express gratitude. 

But, the fish acted as a way for Jonah to escape the dangers of the sea. Then, it brought him onto the safety of land. In the end, the fish swallowing Jonah ended up becoming a positive thing. This passage got me thinking.

In how many areas of our lives do we view a situation in a negative light where a positive may be unknowingly present? Jonah had the capacity to view his situation with optimism. He chose to focus on what God provided for him rather than all the things that had gone wrong. How can you allow God to show you the positives in your circumstances? How can you open your eyes to all the ways in which He provides for you?

Finally, we find Jonah in chapter three having been vomited on land by the fish, once again pursued by God to reach out to the people of Nineveh. Chapter 3:1 says: “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.’”

This part amazes me. Even after everything—Jonah ran away from God and endangered the lives of the men on the ship—God didn’t discount him from joining His mission. He still wanted Jonah as an active participant. 

This acts as an immense comfort and reminds us that nothing we do can disqualify us from participating in His plan. He is all-forgiving, all-understanding, and all-loving.

Questions for Reflection

1. In what ways do you relate to Jonah?  How do you run away from God's call in your life?  How can you turn back to Him?
2. What do you think of God "providing" the whale for Jonah?  How would you have reacted?
3. How can we view our circumstances more positively?  How can we better view God's hand in the difficult trials of our lives?

---

Photocred: Unsplash