Sometimes I read a Bible story and instantly judge the person for their lack of wisdom and trust in God. That happened to me last week as the writing team read Jonah 1:1-3,
Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.
“Escape the presence of the Lord? What a fool Jonah was,” I was thinking. Then I remembered what I did just 4 days before. On that Saturday, 13 Junior High students, 3 of their parents, and 6 of my leaders and I went to East Tijuana, Mexico to partner with Mexico Caravan Ministries to build 2 houses for families there. It was hard work, but the group accomplished the task and we didn’t even have long to wait in the border line coming home that evening. After all the students were picked up from church I headed home but didn’t make it very far. Just as I gunned the gas to get through the green light on the corner of the church’s lot, my car died. It would start again, but the car wouldn’t respond to pushing on the gas pedal. It would just sit there revving up and slowing down. If I tried to put it into gear it would clunk out. Thankfully, this didn’t happen while driving in TJ, also thankfully, I have AAA auto service. The estimated arrival time of the tow truck was 1.5 hours away. I wondered, “Seriously Lord?”
So I waited and prayed and checked college basketball scores and sang to the Lord a little. Then it occurred to me. I had just concluded a three week series teaching the students how to share their faith, and one of the strategies was to get spiritual conversations going by asking people, “Do you have any spiritual belief?” As soon as I had that thought, my body experienced a wave of relief and excitement realizing that God had set up this divine appointment for me to practice what I had been encouraging the students to do, and more importantly, possibly share the gospel with the person coming to get my car and give me a ride home.
Then, on the way home, I chickened out. I did point out to the tow truck driver that I was on my way home from that church across the street. I mentioned that to see if he might ask more questions about that or show any spiritual interest. He did not, and I didn’t ask him the question, “Do you have any spiritual belief?” I guess it is easy to be like Jonah.
Pray with me that we will be faithful witnesses and not run from the opportunities and assignments God brings our way.
Pastor John Riley