A Living Command

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”

Jonah 1:1-2

The first thing we notice in Jonah's story is that God's Word is personified. It takes action. It tracks Jonah down and comes to him with a command. "The Word of God is alive and active," Hebrews 4:12 tells us, and in this Old Testament story Jonah gets himself into serious trouble for thinking he can ignore it.

The Word commands Jonah to "go." This is the first and perhaps the most important word in Jonah's command. Jonah is sent to Nineveh to preach. But if you attended Sunday School at all as a child you know that Jonah did not obey. He went, but he went in the opposite direction from Nineveh and with no intention to preach. For this reason, Jonah is the much-maligned prophet of God. As we read his story, we shake our heads disapprovingly and say "You can't run from God, Jonah. God will chase you down. You have to obey." And when the great fish vomits Jonah up on dry land and he preaches half-heartedly to the Ninevites, we shake our heads again and say "Jonah, haven't you learned anything?! You have to obey God with your whole heart."  

Yet, just like Jonah, you and I have been commanded to "go." "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19). Again, the word "go" is the first and perhaps most important word in God's command. But are you going? Are you making disciples? Or are you running from God's command? I wonder if Jonah might stand and shake his head and testify against us on the day of judgment. "You should have learned your lesson from me," he might say. "You can't run from God's command!"

Remember, it's the Word of God that has commanded you. It is alive! These aren't just words on a page that will lie there while you ignore them. If you and I refuse to obey God's command, then we can expect to be pursued by God like Jonah was. So, go and talk to someone about Jesus. Have that conversation with your coworker. Call that family member. Walk across the street and meet your neighbor. Sign-up for that short term mission trip at church. Maybe you even need to answer God's call to be a full-time missionary. Whatever it is for you, go and do it and do it with your whole heart.