Jonah

Have you ever tried to run away? I am not necessarily talking about running away from home. People run away from a broad spectrum of things. They run away from responsibility. They run away from the consequences of their actions. They run away from people. People are even prone to running away from God. In this message, we are going to explore the experiences of a rebellious prophet named Jonah who tried to run away from God. Jonah’s story can encourage students to stop running from their calling and start running towards it while pushing past all the distractions in front of us.

Whenever you hear about Jonah, your mind immediately goes to the whale. While that’s an important piece of the story, it’s not the whole story. Jonah is about a big fish and an even bigger God. Jonah’s story gives us hope for when we run from God. Why? Because God decided to protect him instead of punishing him.

Jonah’s tale is not merely about a whale; it’s about God’s way being the best way. It is not merely about a sea creature; it’s about second chances. No matter how far we go, how rebellious we are, or how much we mess up, God will pursue us. God will find you, pick you up, dust you off, and help place you on the right path. There is good news for Jonah, you, and me— God always offers a second chance.