More Than A Fish Story

Tucked away in the pages of the minor prophets is the story of Jonah.  Some say it is a fish story with an unusual twist, but it is also a story about the calling of God.  The first and foremost truth in the story is that God called Jonah.  The very first word of the text says, "Go at once to Nineveh..."  (Jonah 1:1)  Unlike Moses who pushed God to the point of angering God and then backing way, Jonah pushed God to the point of regret.  When God said "Go," Jonah said, "No."  When God said "Go east," Jonah went "west," and when God said, "Rent a camel," Jonah bought a ticket for a cruise.    

What is obvious is that Jonah wanted no part of what God wanted him to do.  Oh, he finally came around to the bidding of God, but it was with the greatest amount of reluctance.  Jonah's reluctance mattered not to God who used him anyway to bring a great revival to an ungodly city.  And even after his preaching was so successful, Jonah remained wrapped up in himself.  He did not want to be a part of the salvation of Nineveh.  (Jonah 4:1-2)  He would have rather died than to see one soul from Nineveh come to God.    

It seems like an impossible scenario.  Who would not want good things to come to everyone?  The answer is obvious.  There have been times for all of us when we would not choose the good things of God for a particular person. If they needed a message of love and forgiveness, it would have to come from someone else for our anger and resentment had too great a hold on us to turn it loose.  If such an impossible thing sounds possible, it may be because we have looked in the mirror a time or two and seen ourselves as someone who really did not desire good things for some person who we felt was unworthy of our forgiveness and, perhaps, even God's.  Maybe we should look in that mirror from time to time, but do so carefully.  It may finally become necessary to go.