God's Call

Today’s Text: Jonah 1

 “Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, lain down and fallen sound asleep.” Jonah 1:5

Words of Devotion

Jonah had made his plans. He knew what he wanted to do. And he certainly wasn’t interested when he learned that God wanted him to travel to Nineveh, which was over land to the east. Instead, Jonah went the opposite direction, boarded a ship sailing for Tarshish, and headed west by sea.

Jonah must have thought he would find fulfillment going his own way. But God knew better. He intervened, sending a great storm and hurling hurricane-force winds with such power that the professional sailors thought the ship was about to break apart.

Jonah might have realized that God was trying to speak to him. Yet, instead, he escaped into sleep. After the captain woke him up, he joined the other travelers in casting lots. It soon became clear that their troubles were on account of Jonah trying to flee from God. After he was thrown overboard, “the sea stopped its raging.”

All of us should sympathize with Jonah. We all have had our own plans and dreams at times. There are things we haven’t wanted to do. It can be easy to want to run away from God’s call and be governed by our own ideas—to be like Jonah and try to escape and go our own way.

Yes, it can be difficult to trust in God and obey Him unconditionally, trusting that He knows best. It even can be difficult to recognize when He tries to get our attention—through storms or feelings of restlessness. But God knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows that we never will find true peace apart from serving Him.

Today, remember that God has prepared rich blessings for you. He has a great plan for your life. Don’t resist Him. Commit your life anew to Him. Listen to His voice. Seek to obey and follow Him.

PRAYER: Father, I surrender my life to You. Help me to know Your plan for my life. I commit my time, talent, and treasure to You. Use me to bless others. In Jesus’ name Amen