But Jonah ran away from the Lord. . . . 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 1:3 NIV
Has God ever made it clear that He wants you to head in a certain direction—one you just balk at? Maybe fear fills your heart as you think of a move, or doubts weigh heavily on you as you consider your future prospects.
You may not run down to Joppa and find a ship, but you do find yourself slipping away from the center of His will. Maybe Bible study becomes harder or you think of things to do that don’t involve the church. New, unbelieving friends may begin to attract you.
Though you have never gone aboard ship, you are heading for Tarshish. As your spiritual ship slips its moorings, you are sailing in a dangerous direction.
Before you leave port, consider your course and head back to shore. For, like Jonah, you can’t evade God. Wherever you go, He’ll be there already, calling you back to Himself. But the adventure you face first may be no more pleasant than Jonah’s visit in a whale’s belly.
You can walk away from God, but you can’t escape Him. Even if you did, you would find yourself in a very lonely spot. A huge piece of your heart, God’s piece, would be missing.
Turn my heart always to You, Lord. I never want to leave You. Amen.
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Today’s reading was adapted from Daily Wisdom for Women: 2013 Devotional Collection with permission from Barbour Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reading was written by Pamela L. McQuade.
This was right on point so glad I found it