Man on the Run
Man on the Run
Jonah got up to flee to Tarshish from the Lord’s presence. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. He paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish,from the Lord’s presence. (Jon. 1:3)
A Fugitive
Have you ever run away from home? Some children try it until they get hungry, and some even do it for real. Adults run away, too, seeking to change circumstances while abandoning responsibilities. The thing is, it’s possible to run away and still live in the same town, be married to the same person, and even continue working in the same job—to run away privately, spiritually, emotionally.
Jonah ran away. Jonah was a Hebrew prophet, a spokesman for God. His orders came from on high. Perhaps in the past he had been faithful and obedient to follow God’s call. But now, well, things were different. He was a man on the run.
An Impossibility
Maybe Jonah imagined that God’s presence was kind of like a radio signal—the farther you go from the tower, the weaker the signal gets. Maybe he figured if he went far enough, he could get all the way off God’s map where there would be no annoying God-signal at all.
Running from God is a logical impossibility. It’s like drawing a round square—can’t be done. God is omnipresent—everywhere—and you can’t escape from Someone who is everywhere. Jonah tried and failed. We often try it ourselves and fail. A rebellious streak in us that doesn’t know what’s good for us. Don’t try to run.
Bottom Line
God is everywhere. This thought will either scare you or comfort you. Which does it do for you?