Is Your Name Jonah?

We’ve all been in a situation where we’ve been asked to do something but just didn’t want to do it.  It may have been something rather trivial like going outside on a cold wet night to put out the rubbish bins or perhaps something far more important like tackling a task at work or school that just seemed too difficult, beyond our capabilities and certainly outside of our comfort zone.

The book of Jonah in the Bible tells a story of a guy who totally refused to do what he was asked to do. Jonah certainly had no interest in following God’s direction to head off to the city of Nineveh to confront a quite hostile population on their lifestyle. That’s not hard to understand…One man trying to change a whole city? Surely an impossible task, not to mention seriously dangerous. Instead, he headed on a ship in the opposite direction.

The story of his fate and ultimate change of mind is well known and fascinating…a wild storm at sea, Jonah, his disobedience being seen as the cause of the storm, being tossed overboard, his three days of “quiet “ time in the inside of a huge fish,  his change of heart and acceptance of God’s will for him and his release and ultimate journey to Nineveh where his words brought remarkable change to the people there.

Does God have jobs for you to do? Certainly. It may not be as remarkable and challenging as Jonah’s but important all the same.  In a nutshell it is to fulfil the responsibilities of your life through serving the needs of family, friends, colleagues and other acquaintances at home, in our neighbourhood, at work or school…. or wherever we may be. The truth is that as Christians we need to see each day as loaded with tasks and opportunities that God has ready and available for us. And just like Jonah we can be sure that God will walk with us and bless us every step along the way.

PS. Don’t close yourself to the possibility that God might have a major job in mind for you. The Bible and history are full of ordinary people that God chose for extraordinary jobs.

Chris Jaensch

Chris has written and recorded a catchy kids’ song all about Jonah. If you’re interested in having a listen, you’ll find it on Spotify and YouTube.

Go Go Jonah! (Chris Jaensch) – YouTube

Chris’ Website is chrisjaensch.com