Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. (Jonah 1:1-3).
The opening verses of today’s devotional are of importance for so many reasons. Jonah had received a word from the Lord to go to Nineveh and cry against their wickedness. God wanted to save a city; one would have thought the Lord would have sent an angel to accomplish that task, but he sent Jonah. This establishes God’s principle of saving men through men.
Jonah’s assignment demanded urgency as much as it demanded cooperation. Jonah felt like the people of Nineveh weren’t deserving of God’s mercy. He chose to run in the opposite direction, and the Bible captured that he wanted to run from the presence of the Lord. David asked, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?” (Psalm 139:7). What was Jonah thinking—that he thought he could run away from the presence of God? Also, I couldn’t help but wonder why the Lord insisted that the message must be delivered by Jonah. Why didn’t the Lord send another person?
Prophet Isaiah said, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Jonah had an assignment that must be done just the same way you have an assignment that must be done. The fact you are still here on earth is a clear testimony that your assignment isn’t completed. You are on assignment whether you know it or not. The earlier you find out your assignment and make a commitment to it, the better for you.
There is a general assignment we’ve been called to as believers in Christ Jesus. “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). Stop running away from the assignment you were called to. The Lord is counting on you to extend His love to your community that is yet to come to the knowledge of Christ Jesus.
CONFESSION
I am on assignment to make Jesus known to my generation; so, help me, God.
