Dear Hope family,

Thought for the Week                                                                        

A John or a Jonah?

As followers of Christ, we are sent out on His mission to:

1) Preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and call men to repentance.

2) Continually bear witness to Him as the Light of men and the giver of eternal life (salvation).

Of John the Baptist, it was written (John 1:6-7):

There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. Truly, John brought many to repentance and to believing in Jesus Christ (the Light). John was a sent man who went on the mission God assigned to him, thereby living his life within the context of fulfilling God’s purpose.

On the other hand, the Bible says of Jonah (Jonah 1:1-3):

The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.

Like John the Baptist, Jonah was also sent by God to a sinning civilisation, but he rather ran away from his mission. He went down to Joppa and went as far as paying a fare to Tarshish…! Though he later got things right but at what cost? A storm that dearly cost those he was on the ship with, he was thrown into the sea, his companions lost their merchandise, he spent 3 days and nights in the belly of a great fish (imagine the discomfort), he wasted his own time, etc.

Truly, when we deliberately ignore the mission God gives us, like Jonah, we go down …. there are consequences….and sadly, many may not be so lucky/opportuned with time to get it right again (pause and think).

There are no neutrals in this matter: Every day of our lives, we are either running to God and His mission or running away from Him…So, will you be like John or like Jonah?

May God help us to be committed and intentional, living everyday by the power of His Holy Spirit as people on His mission to do His will and reconcile a lost world to Him in Jesus name, amen.

With love and blessings,

Otega.