“Arise, go to Ninevah, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppah; and he found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. Then the mariners were afraid and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them, But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship, and he lay, and was fast asleep.” Jonah 1:2-3,5
Today’s Christian daily devotional
“Alright class.” Heather rapt her knuckles on the metal desk, her voice calm but serious.
The fire alarm bellowed loudly through the sound system. The wide-eyed first graders looked to their young teacher for instruction.
Fire drills were a normal monthly safety measure that Regan Elementary School practiced. Every other time the fire alarm sounded, she and the other teachers were warned a day in advance at the teacher’s meeting.
But, today Heather wasn’t prepared for a fire drill. Tightly clenching her checklist of students, she hoped this wasn’t the real thing.
“One line for the boys and one for the girls. Just like we practiced.” Heather took a deep breath.
“Does everybody have their safety buddy?” She started counting the heads of the children.
“Carlos is missing!” Tommy called out from his place in line.
“Hold up your safety buddy’s hands.” Heather wildly searched the little faces before her.
“Alright, move into the hallway. Everybody stay quiet and stay in your lines.” The young children obeyed in silence.
The fire alarm’s tempo seemed to move Heather into overdrive. She searched behind the desks, along the edges of the floor and even in cabinets Carlos couldn’t possibly fit into.
“Carlos!” Calling out his name at least a dozen times, it was apparent that Carlos was anywhere but there. By now the distinct smell of smoke pricked Heather’s lungs.
Within seconds, she darted back into the hallway.
“Mrs. Berg! Please take my class outside. I’m missing a student.”
Nodding quickly without uttering a word, Mrs. Berg folded the extra children into her own class.
Heather watched as masses of students and teachers exited the building. She couldn’t tell exactly where the smoke was coming from, but a foggy mist was making it harder to see.
Heather blinked her eyes, turning back into the unknown.
“Carlos!”
Jonah 1:2, 3 and 5 tells the sad tale of a prophet from God. God told Jonah to warn the pagan Ninevites that if they refused to repent for their wicked ways and lifestyles, God would destroy the city. God’s warning was actually an extension of mercy if the Ninevites were humble enough to obey.
Jonah knew the warnings of God were serious. But, he was also quite aware of the kind of crowd that God was asking Him to warn.
For some reason, this great prophet of God allowed his fleshy fear of man to get in the way of His direct orders from God. Like many people, Jonah didn’t like being the bearer of bad news. And, in his desperate attempt to avoid his responsibilities, Jonah ran and tried to hide from God. But, no one can ever really get away with either of those things for very long!
Like so many of Believers, Jonah feared what men thought about him more than what God thought.
If you have experienced the freedom that only Christ can bring, what’s stopping you from sharing that good news? Are you just like Jonah, or more like Heather? The life you live is your legacy. How about leaving the kind of legacy that would make your Father in Heaven proud?
“Dear Heavenly Father,
I admit that I have been a coward most of my life. It hurts to say that, but that is the honest truth and there is no point in lying to you anyway.
Lord, I have no idea how to even think like hero. I’ve been so selfish my whole life.
Putting the needs of others before my own is such a stretch for a person who seems to keep forgetting that the world doesn’t revolve around me.
Lord, I know the truth. I know that Jesus Christ died on the cross not just to save me from my personal sins, but the sins of the world.
Why am I so afraid of telling people this good news? There is so much freedom and joy in knowing Christ as my personal savior. Yet, I fear what my friends will say about me if I admit I love you and know you as my Savior and friend.
Lord, this is so shameful. You are the best friend I have ever had and I am ashamed of you? You should be ashamed of me! I repent of this wicked thinking.
Lord, give me a revelation of the needs of the hearts around me. Give me empathy for the lives you gave your only Son for.
Help me to see myself as the bearer of the best news, because when I tell people about the freedom that Christ gives, this the good news the world is dying to know. Amen.”
Thank you for reading today’s Christian daily devotional on verses: Jonah 1:2-3,5
Please check back and see what we have for you tomorrow!
Author: Julia Shalom Jordan