You Can Run but not Hide Print

Pastor David Koop

Most of us at times have been tempted to run away from God’s plan for our lives, yet God is faithful to bring us back to His best for us.

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Instead of going to Nineveh which was 500 miles east of Jerusalem, Jonah decides to run from his "mission impossible" and go sailing 2000 miles west of Jerusalem. He heads for Tarshish, which was the farthest point known to him.

What might have caused Jonah to run?

  1. He was angry.
  2. He was afraid.
  3. He felt unqualified. The task was so large he could not be in control of it.

Lessons we can learn from Jonah regarding running from God:

  1. You can’t run from God if you haven’t heard from Him.
  2. It is impossible to run from the presence of God. (Jonah 1:2, Psalm 139:7-12)
  3. If you try to run FROM the Lord you will run INTO the Lord.
  4. Running from God will trigger alarms around you.
    1. Your circumstances will have warning signs in them. (Jonah 1:4)
    2. Others will sense it. (Jonah 1:5-8)
    3. You will stop praying. (Jonah 1:5)
    4. You no longer think clearly. (Jonah 1:3,9)
    5. You don’t care how the consequences of your actions affect others. (Jonah 1:13)

Every calling from God will be tested for:

  1. Your love for others - especially those you dislike.
    Matthew 5:44
    But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

  2. Your trust in God – acknowledging that His way is better than yours.
    Isaiah 55:8,9
    “My thoughts are completely different from yours,” says the LORD. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

  3. Your denial of self – leave behind your comfort zone for a higher purpose. Jonah had to lose his life to bring life.
    Luke 18:29,30
    So He said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

  • Are you running from God?
  • Are you dragging your feet on something God has asked you to do?
  • Are your ideas and God’s ideas about what is best for you different?
  • Is there an area of your life you have not submitted to the Lord?
  • Are you running from sharing the love of God with others?