“‘I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice.'”
(Jonah 2:2 ESV)
What does it mean to run from God?
In the most obvious way, running can look like disobedience: Choosing your way over God’s Word, deciding not to do something God has told you to do, or holding onto something you’re meant to surrender. Running can also look a bit more discreet: Perhaps you’ve been in a challenging season, and you’ve been using distractions to escape from it instead of consistently seeking God about it or patiently trusting Him with it. Or maybe running has looked like walking away from God altogether.
What I’ve learned is that running can rob you from fully experiencing the love of God and the freedom that comes from a life of walking with Him. God’s love is so deep for humanity, but the enemy tries to deceive us into believing lies that send us running from Him.
Sometimes these lies come in because of circumstances you’ve faced or trials in the world that seem to say that God isn’t good or trustworthy. Or you feel like obeying God means you’ll be missing out on something. Or maybe you’ve seen your own limitations and weaknesses and have been convinced that God can’t truly love you or that you have no hope for the future.
Whatever the lie is, I hope that today, you come into the knowledge and truth of God’s love for you in a deeper way — a love that doesn’t send you running but coming home to the One who can meet your deepest needs. You’re not meant to keep running, doing this life on your own, and in your own way.
Today, we’ll take a look at the book of Jonah, which shows us a picture of the runner and the Pursuer. Like Jonah, we can run from God in various ways, but God still pursues us and gives us the chance to experience His love and mercy. Here are three crucial lessons we can learn from Jonah’s journey of running:
1. Running Will Cost You Something Valuable
The book of Jonah begins with God speaking to Jonah, giving an important instruction: “‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me'” (Jonah 1:2). God called the prophet Jonah to preach to Nineveh, a wicked city, so they could turn away from their sin and repent, but Jonah disobeyed this command and “fled” from God’s presence. While Nineveh was east, Jonah decided to flee west to Tarshish, literally in the opposite direction of where God called him. And thus, his journey of running began.
From the very beginning, Jonah’s disobedience wasn’t only disastrous, but it cost him much — perhaps more than he anticipated.
For example, it cost him money: He found a ship in Joppa that was headed to Tarshish, and he had to pay a fare to board it and “flee” from God (v. 3). It cost him his peace: While at sea, God sent a strong wind that threatened to destroy the ship, disturbing Jonah’s sleep (v. 4-6); he later agreed to be thrown into the sea to calm the storm (v. 12). It nearly cost the lives of those around him: Although it was Jonah’s disobedience that caused the storm, the mariners who were also on board feared they would die at sea (v. 5).
And the mariners weren’t the only ones whose lives were affected. Remember: Jonah was running from preaching repentance to the people of Nineveh, who God wanted to save. The Lord had a plan and purpose for Jonah’s life, so souls were impacted by Jonah’s decision to run from God. Jonah, who was once asleep on the ship, couldn’t find rest in his running; he was woken up to witness the chaos — and the great cost — of his decisions.
Even so, for us, running is costly.
Maybe for you, you can admit your running is similar to Jonah’s. Maybe you know God has asked you to do something that you’ve put off, or you’ve gone in the opposite direction of His instruction. Maybe there are sin issues you’ve ignored or dismissed. Maybe you’ve felt distant from God because of painful or confusing circumstances. Maybe you’ve gotten more comfortable trusting your way over God’s way and realize it’s actually hard to fully submit your life into His hands.
No matter what it’s looked like for you, if you can recognize where you’ve been doing things your way, this is where transformation can begin. When we live our lives running on our own strength, our own timeline, our own wisdom, or our own sin, there is a cost.
In this life, we will have opportunities to run from God or walk with Him. Running often creates striving, pain, restlessness, and suffering — for ourselves and others around us. Walking with God gives way to purpose, healing, rest, and peace. Instead of running, God invites us to walk through this life with Him and give us the restoration we desperately need.
So, now that we’ve seen the profile of the runner in Jonah, let’s talk about the Pursuer.
2. God Never Stops Pursuing You In The Running
As Jonah 1:3 tells us, Jonah tried to run from “the presence of the Lord.” This is the same God who we know is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time), and omnipotent (all-powerful). Jeremiah 23:24 states, “‘Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ declares the Lord.”
Jonah couldn’t hide from God, but his actions were a reflection of his heart — a heart that was already running from God’s instruction (an instruction which was intended for his good and for the good of others!).
Despite Jonah’s disobedience, God patiently pursued him. The first example of God’s pursuit was the simple fact that He was the one who sent the storm to wake him up; even though Jonah thought he could run from God’s presence, what a powerful reminder that God was still there.
Even the mariners, who did not worship God and initially called upon their own gods to calm the storm, discovered that this storm was caused by the one and only God. They cast lots to see who was responsible for the storm, and it fell on Jonah; eventually, Jonah revealed to them that he was fleeing from God’s presence. The captain of the ship confronted him: “‘What do you mean, you sleeper? Arise, call out to your god! Perhaps the god will give a thought to us, that we may not perish’” (v. 6). They acknowledged the cost of disobeying God and the fact that calling out to God would save them.
This is where we see the biggest cost of Jonah’s running: His life.
Jonah finally acknowledged the consequences of his actions and told the mariners to throw him into the sea to calm the storm. First, the mariners tried their hardest to row back to dry land instead, but “the sea grew more and more tempestuous against them” (v. 13). It was only until Jonah was thrown overboard that the storm finally ceased.
From the beginning, Jonah’s running put him on a “downward” trajectory. He went “down” to Joppa (v. 3), “down” into the ship (v. 3), “down” into the inner part of the ship to sleep (v. 5), and finally, he went the furthest down he’s ever been — thrown into the sea to drown.
And yet, because of God, the lowest point of Jonah’s story isn’t the end of his story.
This storm was an interruption, an intervention. It was Jonah’s opportunity at a second chance. But even though he kept running, God didn’t abandon him. He still had patience and mercy.
“And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17). Instead of having to drown at sea, Jonah was protected by God, who sent a great fish to rescue him.
Your lowest point doesn’t have to be the end of the story.
In your running, know that God hasn’t stopped pursuing you. As the Pursuer in Jonah’s story, God’s power was on display, and so was His love. Like Jonah, when we take it upon ourselves to disobey the Lord or run from conviction, there are natural consequences. Sin creates destruction. But God doesn’t just give up on us; He gives us time to repent, just as Jonah could have turned around instead of boarding the ship. God’s heart towards humanity is filled with patience and mercy: “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).
And for the one who feels forgotten or distant from God, remember that nothing escapes His attention; He hasn’t forgotten you. Oftentimes, we need to pray continuously for the eyes to see how God is protecting, guiding, and pursuing us. Jeremiah 29:13 reminds us that if we seek after Him with our whole heart, we will find Him. God continued to pursue Jonah. He could have allowed Jonah to continue his running uninterrupted, further into a journey “downward” into restlessness and chaos, but instead, He showed Jonah that He was there all along, ready to rescue Him.
And from there, Jonah could make the decision to embrace His pursuit or not.
3. Transformation Starts When The Running Stops
Despite Jonah’s running, God already had a plan of mercy. Jonah 1:17 says that God “appointed” a great fish to swallow up Jonah. Other translations say that He “prepared” or “provided” this fish for Jonah.
What a great act of love — not only did He spare Jonah’s life, but He provided an environment where Jonah could be alone, recognize his need for God, and turn back to the faithful God he was running from.
Jonah 2 details his prayer, when he finally calls upon the Lord, repents, and fully seeks Him: “I called out to the Lord, out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and you heard my voice” (v. 2).
Jonah acknowledged how God saved him in his journey — and that it was only God who could do so.
“When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your holy temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (v. 7-9).
It was in the most unlikely circumstance, inside the belly of a fish, that God met with Jonah. Jonah finally took the opportunity given to him to turn to God, acknowledge Him, and stop running.
What a contrast: At one point in his journey, Jonah found himself sleeping inside a ship, headed in the opposite direction of where he should be going. Now, he was in the belly of a fish, awake, and realizing that God had rescued him.
There was a transformation that took place in those three days. What if Jonah decided not to use that time to turn to God? How much more time would he have spent in despair? And what would have happened to the people of Nineveh who needed to hear God’s message of repentance?
After Jonah’s prayer, God had the fish vomit him out onto dry ground. God gave Jonah a second chance, giving him the same instruction, and this time, Jonah obeyed: “Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time, saying, ‘Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you.’ So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord” (Jonah 3:1-3a).
Jonah preached in Nineveh, warning them of God’s judgment due to their sin and wickedness, and the people of the city repented: “When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God relented of the disaster that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it” (v. 10). Just as God was merciful towards Jonah, He was merciful to the people of Nineveh because of their repentance. (And we continue to see God’s patience towards Jonah even when he had a bitter response to Nineveh’s repentance in Chapter 4.)
God has compassion towards us. And it is available to you, no matter where you are. Perhaps it is the current unlikely circumstances in your life that God can use as a place of transformation.
If you have found yourself running, I encourage you with this: Don’t be so quick to run from the opportunity you’ve been given to know God more intimately.
Jonah could have delayed his rescue or the people of Nineveh’s rescue if he kept running. But he stopped fighting in the belly of the fish, and that’s where he was met with compassion. Perhaps where you are now could be the very opportunity you have to meet with God.
In this fallen world, we have all been born sinners, with a sinful nature. Ephesians 2:1 tells us we were dead in our sins before Christ. But God gave us the ultimate rescue by providing the ultimate sacrifice: His Son Jesus Christ who died for our sins on the cross and was raised from the dead, conquering sin and death once and for all. God extended His love to us while we were still sinners, so that we could be saved through Jesus Christ.
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
For the one who is running, God has been trying to get your attention all along.
God wants to meet with you where you are and has provided a solution for your spiritual need. If you don’t have a relationship with God, today can be your opportunity to find rest, freedom from sin, and spend eternity with God in heaven through the gift of salvation. He wants a relationship with you, which is available to you by putting your faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
And if you have already put your faith in the Lord, but you have felt distant from God or have been ignoring certain tugs of conviction on your heart, today can be your opportunity to draw near to Him. Continue to hold onto Him, especially in your time of need; the Lord is your refuge. You can turn to God and His Word to fight any lies from the enemy or let go of distractions that have been getting in the way of your obedience and closeness with Him.
I also encourage you to seek the Lord and ask Him to reveal any areas where you have been “running” from something in your life or your walk with Him. He will give you the eyes to see and the ears to hear.
The circumstances you’re running from could be the area God is trying to redeem in your life. Just as Jonah sat in the belly of the fish for three days, and that became the place of transformation, maybe it’s time to sit with God, no matter how long it takes, and allow your current season to be a place of renewal.
God is so good that He creates purpose, healing, and restoration in the most unexpected circumstances. God created purpose and a lesson for Jonah in his journey. Likewise, even in the running, God pursues you and never stops loving you. He wants to meet with you. Even in your hurts, questions, and uncertainties. This very place is your opportunity to speak with Him, to stop doing things your way, and by your own strength.
Jonah’s story is a great picture of our need for God. There is pain that comes from running, but there is rest when we embrace His pursuit and allow ourselves to walk through this life with Him.
“‘Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him.’”
(Psalm 91:14-15 ESV)
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