Everyone loves a good fish story. One of my favorite stories in the Bible just happens to be a real whopper. I remember as a kid hearing this story, thinking that there is no way that this can be true and not understanding the message that this story is really meant to teach. I will let you do the research on your own about whether this story could possibly be true or not, and I will focus on the message that I finally learned over 40 years later😊. Now more than ever, I understand 100% what this story is about and how it relates to us in real time present day.
A Real Whopper
Jonah 1:1- 4:11
The cliff notes version of the story of Jonah and the whale is that Jonah ran from God and what God’s purpose was for him because he felt like what God was asking of him was too difficult. Been there, done that. Who else has? When a person makes a choice to go in the opposite direction of what God has called them to do, you can be certain that they will begin to hide – unconsciously or purposefully – just as Jonah did. Jonah didn’t just go down to the bottom of a ship to take a nap. He first boarded that boat, heading into a huge ocean, to trek in the opposite direction from instructions given by God. He crawled down to the lowest, darkest point on the ship to hide from the truth of God’s word. Then he escaped, avoided, and tuned out the soul-stirring convictions of the Holy Spirit by taking a very long nap. I used to use headphones and other means to try and stop me from thinking and hearing the Holy Spirit as well. I wasn’t able to shut my brain off because the louder the HS got, the more the panic and anxiety took over and the thoughts went wild.
It’s unlikely we will flee by boat (although it sounds interesting some days…..), but we may move out of photos that place us with certain people, locations or in situations that could hold us accountable to our actions. You may only begin to associate with those who agree with our opposite plan from God. It is common to withdraw from social media, outings with people we used to enjoy, or church and church functions as a way to limit others’ access to information in their lives. This was the first thing I used to do. Going to church while actively sinning made me burn inside and hate being in the house of God. You can bet we will certainly filter stories, remove details, and censor information shared with others so that they only see one side. Or my favorite that I used to do, exaggerate to make it sound better for myself. The shifting perspective of “truth” marks our interactions. Talking in the first person of “I” in all the discussions will be common. We might minimize contact and involvement with those who know of God’s directive and call in their lives, while simultaneously increasing contact with those who are not likely to hold us accountable and who don’t follow God as a believer and don’t encourage our faith, all while providing a constant distraction from the truth of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:17-20 explains this perfectly). People have even been known to leave or curse the very things that they used to praise God for because the evil one (who is very much involved) will tell you its no longer good. Don’t believe the lies (Philippians 4:8)
Don’t Take it Personally
What those around us need to know is that these actions are not a personal attack. These actions are about a person’s own accountability with God, our own processing of our lives and decisions. Trust me when I tell you, holding yourself accountable for your sin is the hardest thing in the world to do. That is why most of the time it takes being broken, rock bottom, or caught in your sin to make you repent. Even in all of his sin, Jonah didn’t stop being a messenger of God for the people of Nineveh. God created supernatural circumstances around Jonah to bring him back into obedience and relationship (key word here is relationship) with what God was commanding him to do. Those circumstances may not be in the belly of a whale for us, but it could be financial difficulties, relationship issues, health issues, or a sudden unexplained, meaninglessness heartbreak for whatever has been placed before God. God knows exactly what is necessary to solve your lack of relationship and obedience to Him and and He knows the allotted time for His process to work. He doesn’t make mistakes. Just look at Jonah’s eventual repentance and redemption. His story is so profound and relates to us thousands of years later but I bet you have never read the entire book of Jonah (in fact, I bet you didn’t even know that Jonah had his own book in the bible!). I never did until a few month back. Coincidently this story also represents/prophesies the death and resurrection of Christ in 3 days with the 3 days inside a whale. I love having biblical scholars in my life who can break down God’s word so I can understand!
Summary
Fleeing from God’s directive and plan/purpose in life is serious business with serious repercussions. We reap what we sew. But don’t think for a second that once you travel down that road that it is over for you. There is profound hope!(1Peter 5:10-11, 2Chronicles 7:14) God never left Jonah, nor abandoned him due to his disobedience and he never left me either. When I sought His forgiveness, grace and mercy, I picked right back up where I left Him and His blessings began immediately. Thank you Lord!
Darkness wants to hide from The Light. Stop hiding and repent. When I did, it made all the difference in the world with those around me who love me. If you are walking in a way which others can see Jesus in your life (especially when they couldn’t see it before), prepare for the darkness in others to seek distance from you. Don’t retreat from your own pursuit of God when that happens. Chase him even harder even if you lose everyone around you. God will restore your tribe. Darkness also seeks to overpower light. When you are not in relationship with God, the other side has free reign to affect your thoughts. Especially when you are alone. That is why Covid-19 caused so many long lasting problems that we are seeing now. It’s critical to stay anchored in the Word of God and in community with other believers while you navigate this season of standing on your promise from God. You can be assured that attacks will come against you when you stand. If there are people in your life life who are encouraging ongoing and continued disobedience to what God has ordained for you or for others, earnestly pray for them too (Matthew 5:44). Mercy and grace extends to all who are navigating life apart from God if they repent and ask God to forgive them. “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.” (Matthew 6:14)
If God can use a proud, stubborn, disobedient, unfaithful, grumbler, and altogether bad-tempered man like Jonah, He can for sure use you. I urge you to stand in the gap of faith through prayer, repetition, and the word of your testimony for the one who is in a season of hiding, disobedience or rebellion. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in the hands of those who choose to use it. (Ephesians 6:10-20)
