"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof." Jonah 1:3
God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach a sermon of judgment, but the prophet preferred to do exactly the opposite. Therefore, instead of going east to the city of God's choosing, he determines to travel west to Tarshish. Fleeing from the presence of the Lord (or so he thought), he goes down to Joppa. Here he finds a convenient ship waiting to take him in just the direction he desires. Probably rejoicing in such apparent "good fortune," Jonah pays the fare, gets on board and - sails away into a sea of trouble!
How prone we are to seize upon that which is convenient as being that which is correct! When we get out of the will of God, it is surprising how many excuses we can find for going our own way. Deeply impressed with our carnal desires, we quickly interpret that which may be only coincidental as a significant indication of God's will for us. Actually it may be nothing of the kind. The trend of circumstances must always be in line with the Word of God if it is to be meaningful. Jonah's "convenient ship" was soon storm-tossed, and he had some very grueling experiences before the Lord got him back to the path of His will.
Beware of misinterpreting convenient ships! Remember that the so-called "opportunity" may actually be the devil's snare, the world's allurement, or the pathway of self-will that will result in God's chastening. Surrender yourself completely to His Holy Spirit, saturate your mind with the directives in the Word, or you too may rationalize yourself into boarding a boat of human convenience that will at most land you in the port of God's "second best." This day make the prayer of the psalmist yours: "Shew me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths" (Psalm 25:4)!
"Bread For Each Day"
A very good analogy to our daily lives!
ReplyDelete