“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 and now. First, it reveals a God who is interested in human affairs. Jonah was picked to warn a nation of impending doom if it did not yield back to Him.

However, the person given the task shuns the idea, preferring to “mind his own business”! How many of us have given God the cold shoulder, yet quite clear it was God calling us!

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 around him. One persons disobedience to God can cause grief as well to many other innocent people.

There is a beautiful ending to this story. 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). All to point out God will not hold anything against us once we return to Him.

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 God's call. 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 out on the seas. But someone else it is a different storm meant to get one's attention.

Prayer today: Lord father God of creation, as you had to bring a storm for Jonah to turn around and do your will, I pray ever be obedient to your call, and walk in it for your Glory, this I pray in Jesus' name.