This is the sixth lesson in Mike’s series from characters in the Bible.

What do we learn from the story of Jonah? Remember, Jonah is a man who ignores God. In fact, when God asks him to preach, Jonah decides instead to run from God!

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.”

Jonah 1:1-4 (NIV)

Buy why? Why would Joseph turn tail and run from God? Well, it’s most likely because of the people to whom God was sending him:

“Woe to the city of blood, full of lies, full of plunder, never without victims! The crack of whips, the clatter of wheels, galloping horses and jolting chariots! Charging cavalry, flashing swords and glittering spears! Many casualties, piles of dead, bodies without number, people stumbling over the corpses—all because of the wanton lust of a prostitute, alluring, the mistress of sorceries, who enslaved nations by her prostitution and peoples by her witchcraft.”

Nahum 3:1-4 (NIV)

It’s not difficult to understand Jonah’s fear, is it? Preaching to Nineveh doesn’t exactly sound like an “easy”  job! But, God doesn’t let Jonah run away. When Jonah jumps on a ship to escape, “the Lord sent a great wind on the sea…(Jonah 1:4).”

Have you ever tried to run from God? In this lesson, Mike talks about how God stays with you, doing whatever is best to keep you walking with Him.

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”

Psalm 139:7 (NIV)