An Emphatic Refusal

Not everyone is excited about a moment of being called by God.  Actually, most folks do their best to slip out from under the Word which they sense being put upon them.  The reason is obvious.  Accepting the call of God means a change in life style.  It means turning lose of what gives life comfort and embracing a world where a loss of control is the norm.  It is no wonder that people like Moses and each one of us have no trouble finding excuses for making another choice.     

One fellow who was very emphatic in his refusal to accept God's call was Jonah.  His story is all but hidden in the midst of the Old Testament, but still it is one learned early on by children in Sunday School.  The narrative begins with the words, "Now the Word of the Lord came to Jonah....saying, 'Go at once to Nineveh...' "  (Jonah 1:1)  The call would send Jonah east on an overland trip to Nineveh so Jonah got on a boat and headed west for Tarshish.  Jonah did not just argue with God; instead, he just intentionally refused to do God's bidding.    

After Jonah got tossed overboard by fearful sailors in the midst of a storm and spent three days and nights in the belly of a big fish, the call came again and this time Jonah was ready to go.  There have been times when our going required more than a little persuasion.  The important thing to be remembered in those moments filled with our reluctance and God's persuasion is the reality that God does not give up on us.  It is His desire for us to be involved in what He is working to accomplish in the world and the good news is that He does not give up on us.