Jonah 1:1-2a – Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go…”

God spoke to Jonah in His own unique and powerful way and He told Jonah to do two things. First, go to Nineveh; second, cry out against it, that is, rebuke them for their sin and call them to repentance. The city of Nineveh was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and was a large and prominent city in its day. It was not a city of Israel at all; God called Jonah to go to a pagan, Gentile city and call them to repentance. Notice that God’s word ‘came to Jonah’ and spoke to him. God had a job for Jonah to do, a specific task that required Jonah to trust and have faith in God. Jonah did not agree with the plan of the Lord, because of fear and because of his own opinion. When God clearly speaks, obedience to Him is what should follow. Oftentimes we tend to allow our desires get into the way of Gods plan.

Challenge:

God speaks to you today through His written word and by the leading of the Holy Spirit, the powerful message of hope. The word of God will always encourage you to change some aspect of your behavior, or empower you to go meet some need in someones life, or display some deeper side of God that you never knew before. Your challenge this week is to listen to the voice of God and then put your trust completely in Him by being obedient to His instruction. What God shows you may not always be easy, but it is always the right thing to do. Don’t let your opinion of others get in the way of how God wants you to be used in another persons life. God knows what we all need and He may just want to use you to accomplish His will in your next door neighbors life. He may want you to go and talk to one of your co-workers and see how they are doing or pray with them? Perhaps it is one of your family members that needs to be encouraged in the Lord this week? You never know how God may use your life to touch the heart of another. When God speaks, like He did in Jonah’s life, ‘Arise, and Go!’ May God bless you always.