Do you feel bad for Jonah? God gave Jonah a difficult task, a seemingly impossible one. Jonah ran in the opposite direction. Now, that’s a realistic a story of faith.
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh and speak out against it. Did Jonah know how evil the people of Nineveh were? Jonah may have imagined the harsh welcome he would receive and the even harsher exit he would get. Jonah looked at the facts and ran.
Think for a moment of the people who stand on street corners and preach a similar “turn or burn” message. They are not welcomed, not embraced, not listened to and often humiliated. Jonah likely saw a similar scenario for himself. What’s more, he likely doubted that his words would change anything. As one man in that “great city,” I’m sure Jonah doubted his words would have any impact.
God didn’t let the story end there. He made sure Jonah did as he was told. And it worked: the people of Nineveh repented.
Calling and protecting God, help us to face the hard tasks you've given us. Help us in your courage, your strength, your perseverance and your resolve to tackle the things you need us to do, especially when we don't want to. Amen. — KNM