You can't run from God.

I've been talking about your level of dedication and using some bible stories to explain them. I started with Adam, who started off very dedicated but was easily distracted. Moses who used every excuse in the book. Now I'm going to talk about Jonah.

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, "Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because it's wickedness has come up before me."  Jonah 1:1-2

Direction was given to Jonah right away. There was no be still and know that I am God. There was no I'm going to give you a small piece of information now and then some later. It was all at once. 

But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for the port. After paying the fare, he went abroad and sailed for Tarshish to flee from God.   Jonah 1:3

Jonah instantly looked for a way out. He didn't seem to think about it, just left. Isn't it insane that when we want to run that Satan will give you an easy way out. Steven Furtick was speaking about Jonah and he was reading the passage and said that, "Old southern pastors would say when you run from God you always have to pay a price." It's very funny but so true. You always have to pay a price when you run from God. Jonah did.

Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.   Jonah 1:4

When we are disobedient to God's direction, we aren't the only ones who suffer. When Jonah was on the ship, everyone's life was in danger. The storm was violent and could have caused the boat to overturn and kill everyone. Jonah told them to throw him over the side of the boat. The storm calmed. 

We all know this story. He was swallowed by a big fish and when he was spit out on the shore he was in Joppa on the other side of where he was going. Isn't this how God works. You try to run from God and you end up BACK on the right track no matter how long it takes. Even though we think that we are smart and we will be able to outsmart Him... all He does is win. Going against what he says isn't going to do anyone any good. Not to mention that someone else will suffer because of your disobedience. Of course, we will never see the immediate results but whose to say we wont be standing in front of God one day and He shows us exactly what would have happened if we had been obedient all along!!

Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time. Jonah 3:1

Isn't it nice to know that even when we mess up and get it wrong that God is willing to give us a second chance. He is willing to allow you to try again even though YOU messed up. He doesn't look at your past and remember, "Oh, I just asked them to do that and they were disobedient." He looks at us each time with fresh eyes and says, "Hey I believe that you can, or I wouldn't ask you."

Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh.  Jonah 3:3