Devotion 6: Ring, Ring

Grant Grimes

“Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. So he paid the fare and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.”Jonah 1:1–3

Called…there are many things in life we are called to do: going to work each day, providing for our families, and taking care of the basic needs of life like eating and sleeping. Jonah was called by the Lord to go to Nineveh and preach against the city’s wickedness, but instead of obeying, Jonah ran. Even as the conviction of the Lord pursued him, he continued to flee from His calling.

How we respond to a calling shapes who we are. Ignoring God’s call is never a neutral choice, it sets a chain of events into motion. Jonah went in the opposite direction from where God called him, and it led to storms not only for himself but for those around him. The same is true for us; our obedience or disobedience impacts more than just our own lives. When God calls, we must decide if will we answer, or if will we silence His voice.

The call given to Jonah is the same call Jesus gives in the Great Commission, to go, to preach, and to declare what the Lord has done (Matthew 28:19-20). For Jonah, it took a great storm, a large fish, and a lot of hardship before he obeyed. What will it take for you?

If you have answered God’s call to repent of sin, you have also received a new calling, not to wander in sin or be caught in storms, but to live as a disciple and as a conduit of the Lord’s truth. Everyone has a “Nineveh” in their life, a person, place, or task that God is specifically calling you to. So, when God calls you to share the Gospel with a friend, neighbor, or co-worker—will you respond, or will you let it ring?