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Morning and Evening

February 25, Evening

C. H. Spurgeon · Modern retelling

"But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa." — Jonah 1:3 · KJV

Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word as God commanded, Jonah disliked the work and went down to Joppa to escape it. There are times when God's servants shrink from duty. But what is the consequence — what did Jonah lose by his conduct? He lost the presence and comforting enjoyment of God's love. When we serve our Lord Jesus as believers should, our God is with us; and though the whole world be against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter? But the moment we draw back and seek our own devices, we are at sea without a pilot. Then we may bitterly lament and groan, "O my God, where have You gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun Your service, and so lose all the bright shinings of Your face? This is too high a price. Let me return to my allegiance, that I may rejoice in Your presence." Jonah also lost all peace of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer's comfort; it is the poisonous tree from whose leaves distil deadly drops that destroy the life of joy and peace. Jonah lost everything from which he might have drawn comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine protection, for he was not in God's ways; he could not say, "Lord, I meet these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore help me through them." He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with his own ways. Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and billows rolling over your head. You will find in the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God than to yield yourself to it at once. Jonah lost his time, too, for he had to go to Nineveh after all. It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once.