“Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass”  (I Thessalonians 5:24).

The story of Jonah about a prophet sent to the city of Nineveh with a call for the people to turn back to God is instructive as then on several grounds. First, it reveals a God who is interested in human affairs, that He picks up someone to warn a nation of impending doom if it does not yield and change her ways.

Then, secondly, in an interesting twist, the person given the task shuns the idea, preferring to “mind his own business”! What happens thereafter is just as revealing. Troubles befell Jonah, but not only him, even those whom he had taken refuge to ( Jonah 1:4-5).

Hereto, we see that Jonah’s disobedience has not only consequences for him but also those others around him. One persons folly can sometimes cause grief to many other innoncent people close.

Ultimately Jonah makes good and returns to the city of Nineveh to call it to repentance. “When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened” ( Jonah 3:10).

Just as it were, there is always someone God is calling to do His work for a time. And just as then any could reject. Because God loves His people He will cause a set of circumstances for that person to yield back to His call. In the case of Jonah it was a severe storm on the seas. But for others there are different storms meant to get their attention. Such could be roadblocks in the way and it’s quite clear one has to make a U turn for there is no way ahead!

Prayer today: Lord father God of creation, as you had to bring a storm for Jonah to turn around and do your will, and so I pray I may obedient to your call, for you are a faithful God!