Now Yahweh's word came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it, for their wickedness has come up before me.' But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid its fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of Yahweh. Jonah 1:1 WEBThe Lord told Jonah to go and preach to the city of Nineveh, but instead, Jonah set out for Tarshish. That was in the opposite direction, and over 2,500 miles away from Nineveh. Jonah planned to get as far away from Nineveh as possible. After he boarded a ship, they sailed the ocean but were soon caught up in a terrible storm. When all hope was gone, Jonah told them to throw him into the sea so that they would be spared. So the sailors threw Jonah overboard, and after spending three days and nights inside of a custom fish hotel, Jonah was happy to go to Nineveh.
A mentor of mine once saw a used car that he really wanted to buy. While at the dealership he prayed about it and felt that the Lord said, "No." He walked around the lot and called his wife to pray with her, and she said that she felt that something wasn't right about that car. He prayed about it again and he heard 'No.' Three times he prayed. Three times he heard 'No.'
He walked around the car lot some more, and he decided that was the car that he really wanted. So he went back to the car, laid his hands on it and prayed again, and this time he heard very clearly: "Yes! You NEED this car."
So he bought it and started home with his little red chevy vega, but on the way there, the engine oil light came on. He stopped at a service station and filled it up with oil and resumed his trip, but soon the oil light came on again. To shorten this up, the car ended up sitting in his driveway with a blown engine while he made the payments on it for the next two years. It was a lemon.
If you try and twist God's arm to give you what you want, you just might get it. The prodigal son's dad gave him his inheritance early, but it didn't go well. Be honest with yourself and listen to the Lord the first time so you can avoid the fish hotel experience for He knows what is best for you.
Prayer: Heavenly Father please help me to see past the natural and learn to trust You in my decisions. Speak to me in a way that I understand, and give me the grace to be obedient, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.> You can subscribe to our daily devotional here <
Amen
Amen,please Heavenly Father help us to make the right decisions.We trust and obey.We love and worship you.
Amen!! Thank you Pastor Dion for the reminder.
Amen Father, let all my decisions be your will
Thank you Lord for your way and will in my life and in the lives of my family. Amen
Amen
Amen, Your will be done Father.
Please God guide my path and push me in the right direction always. Amen
Awesome devotional Pastor Dion! I too have not listened and had to learn the hard way, needless to say I really try to listen to God now, sure saves me a lot of grief. Amen
Amen
Heavenly Father I need Your help to stop being so stubborn in things I just want and to have Your grace to understand when You speak to me. That Your word be the right decision to follow, in Jesus name I pray. Amen. Your word will be as a beam of light
Awesome devotional Pastor, God bless you.
I pray God for Your safety and to keep you unharmed while this hurricane passes through the Carolinas.
Amen and Amen!!! Not sure how close Jonah was as he was heading to Tarshish, however, it is interesting to know that the Lord had prepared a large fish for Jonah and when Jonah was ready to submit that fish took took him possibly 2000 miles (more or less) to Nineveh? Lord, may I always follow the path that You laid out for me, in the name of Jesus, Amen!
Amen!
Amen!!
Prayers for your safety as the hurricane moves your way. God Bless everyone.
Amen.