Jonah 1:3

“But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of
the Lord, and went down to Joppa.”
— Jonah 1:3

Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word, as God bade him, Jonah
disliked the work, and went down to Joppa to escape from it. There are
occasions when God’s servants shrink from duty. But what is the
consequence? What did Jonah lose by his conduct? He lost the presence
and comfortable enjoyment of God’s love. When we serve our Lord Jesus
as believers should do, our God is with us; and though we have the
whole world against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter?
But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at
sea without a pilot. Then may we bitterly lament and groan out, “O my
God, where hast thou gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun
thy service, and in this way to lose all the bright shinings of thy
face? This is a price too high. Let me return to my allegiance, that I
may rejoice in thy presence.” In the next place, Jonah lost all peace
of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer’s comfort. It is the poisonous
upas tree, from whose leaves distil deadly drops which destroy the life
of joy and peace. Jonah lost everything upon which he might have drawn
for comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine
protection, for he was not in God’s ways; he could not say, “Lord, I
meet with these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore
help me through them.” He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with
his own ways. Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have
all the waves and the billows rolling over your head. You will find in
the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God
than to at once yield yourself to it. Jonah lost his time, for he had
to go to Nineveh after all. It is hard to contend with God; let us
yield ourselves at once.

On this day…

• The Word Hope – 2025
• Our Hope In God – 2025
• 1 Samuel 22 – 2024
• 1 Samuel 21 – 2024
• ABANDONMENT – 2009
• Jonah 2:9 – 2009
• Grace Has Two Meanings – 2007
• The Power of His Word – 2007
• How to recieve a blessing – 2007
• Prayer of Prayers – 2007