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Are you running from God?
pastor corner

In the Old Testament, there is an account given of a man who tried to run from God. This man’s name was Jonah. Jonah was given a mission by God. He was to go to the city of Nineveh and to, “cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me” (Jonah 1:1). Surely if one is given a message from God it would be obeyed. Not true, Jonah chose to ignore God’s word. The Bible says he, “rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; …” (Jonah 1:3).

Those familiar with the book of Jonah will remember how God caused a storm to come up, the sea became rough, and how the sailors eventually tossed Jonah overboard. A great fish had been prepared by God, and it swallowed Jonah. Jonah immediately realizes his need to run to God and not away from Him. Chapter two tells of Jonah’s prayers to God, and how God delivered Jonah.

Mankind today has also been given a message from God. Yet like Jonah many run from obeying God. Some become too busy to think about God, so they fail to read and study the Bible.

They fail to learn of God’s love and grace that will show them the way to heaven. They find no time to worship God, no time to mediate on His word.

Jonah learned that he needed God, and that God must be obeyed. This is the same lesson man needs today. Man needs God in his life. If God is the center of each person’s life, life itself will be better. Husbands will be the best husbands they can be, wives will be the best wives, parents the best parents, children the best children, and on and on we could go.

To many times people must be “thrown in the sea” before they realize they need God in their life. We need to have God in our lives during the good times and the bad times that come our way. God desires all men to be saved, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (I Tim. 2:4). God has given the perfect sacrifice for man. Jesus came and gave Himself. However, man can run from God for a time, but one day man’s running will stop and he will have to face God. Why run from God? Why not study His word and obey Him, believe in Christ, turn from sin and be baptized for the remission of sin? Run to God rather than away from Him.

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