When attending a fundraiser for our local pregnancy resource center, the speaker, Brad Stine, asked the question: “How many times do we need to be vomited onto the beach before we go to Nineveh?”
Wow, that thought really hit home!
I often find myself resisting God’s call, especially if it does not “make sense” to me or if it makes me uncomfortable because I’ve pre-judged the situation. This is much like the prophet Jonah. The Book of Jonah paints a vivid picture of his rebellion, God’s divine intervention, and his eventual surrender. God commanded Jonah:
“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah 1:2
Jonah fled—not out of fear for his personal safety, although Nineveh was a wicked, violent city (see Nahum 3:1-4), but because he hated the Assyrians and did not want them to escape God’s judgment. The Assyrians were brutal enemies of Israel and Judah, often seen as instruments of God’s punishment against His own people. Jonah knew God’s character to be “gracious and merciful… slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm.” (Jonah 4:2) He anticipated that if he preached repentance, the Ninevites might actually repent—and God would forgive them. This infuriated Jonah; he preferred their destruction over their salvation. Jonah’s flight to Tarshish was motivated by a dread of success. He was “afraid they would repent, when all along he wanted God to judge the Assyrian capital.” So Jonah fled to Tarshish on a ship in an attempt to escape the Lord’s presence. (Jonah 1:3)
Jonah’s act of disobedience looks much like our own tendency to ignore God’s direction when it does not suit us.
In our everyday lives, we often mirror Jonah’s disobedience by running from God’s clear direction. Most of God’s commands—His will for how we are to live—are plainly laid out in His Word. Yet, when His Word prompts us toward deeper obedience, we frequently distract ourselves or prioritize comfort over surrender. For instance, God commands us to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) and to “be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10) in order to cultivate consistent, intimate prayer, but we fill our time with work emails, endless tasks, or entertainment—labeling them “important” while sidelining the most powerful weapon He gives us—prayer. Similarly, the He commands us to “forgive… as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32) and to “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:44), yet we often avoid reconciling with a hurtful person by clinging to our sense of self-justification instead of extending grace. God’s Word commands us to “go therefore and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19) and to “let your light so shine before men” (Matthew 5:16), but fear of rejection or “shyness” often silences us. Even commands to “remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8) may be ignored as we prioritize productivity or entertainment while ignoring the boundaries God sets for our good.
These modern “Jonah moments” reveal the same pattern. When God’s direct and unequivocal commands clash with our own preferences, we flee. For Jonah, the Lord responded with a mighty storm:
“But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.” Jonah 1:4
Thrown overboard, Jonah was swallowed by a great fish prepared by God, where he spent three days and nights. (Jonah 1:17) Can you even imagine the horror? There, in the belly of the whale, Jonah’s prayer was:
“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, and the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’ The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; the deep closed around me; weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple.” Jonah 2:3-7
Jonah’s prayer led to God’s deliverance:
“So the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” Jonah 2:10
Vomited on the beach—what an image!
But Jonah’s “beach vomiting” was a turning point. The word of God came a second time: “Arise, go to Nineveh… and preach to it the message that I tell you.” (Jonah 3:2) This time, “Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord.” (Jonah 3:3) And Jonah’s obedience sparked a great spiritual revival in Nineveh.
What a priceless gift for Jonah to lead souls—from hell to eternal life in Christ!
Now, I ask myself, how many “beach vomitings” will I require before I make it habitual to follow God’s direction for my life? How many storms must God send to realign me into the great joy of His ways? God’s Word calls us to a life where following Him becomes our greatest desire. How? Because loving obedience is where we experience the great joy and peace of His presence most fully. I desire for Proverbs 3:5-6 to be my life verses:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”
Deuteronomy 5:33 promises: “You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you.” Obedience isn’t burdensome; it’s the path to freedom and great satisfaction. 1 John 5:3 explains: “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” Jesus promised us in John 14:23:
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.”
God promises us His Divine guidance. We simply need to stop running from Him:
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:8
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:21
Learning to walk with God is a journey. We have enemies who don’t want us to ever experience the greatness God has planned for us. Jonah needed one dramatic vomiting before going to Nineveh. Some of us—like me—have needed to endure multiple storms—financial woes, health crises, broken relationships—before learning to live in obedience. But my friend, God’s promises are SO worth our obedience. He desires to give us a goodness that is beyond our greatest imagination! His presence is our greatest reward.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” Psalms 37:23
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, forgive my rebellion. Teach me to trust You for Divine direction. Grow my soul in Your presence so obedience to You becomes the greatest desire of my heart. Plainly guide my steps and open my ears to Your voice. May the voice of Your Spirit be the loudest voice I hear. Make my life a supernatural example of Your love, peace, joy, wisdom, and strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
