Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, “Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.” But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
Jonah 1:1-3
Jonah is a story every church kid has heard and almost no one knows. Yes, it is a story about how impossible it is to run from God. But when we get beyond the children’s Bible picture, complex themes of calling, fear, grace, and hypocrisy emerge. In the first chapter, we discover just how far out of our comfort zones God might call us to go. Join us for a 4-week journey through this whale of a tale and its message for our divided world. [hear sermon audio]
This week, take some time to dive into these scriptures and questions during your devotion time.
Texts to read:
Questions to Ponder:
- Every believer has a calling from God. How would you describe yours?
- Has your calling ever led, or seemed to lead somewhere that made you uncomfortable? Describe that time.
- Which voice is stronger in your life right now: calling or fear?
Do and share:
- Jonah 1 is Jonah’s call story. Other Biblical figures– like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Moses– have call stories. Spend some time this week finding call stories in Scripture. Which one resonates with your own call?
- Do something this week that scares you and share a picture on our Facebook group or Twitter (@dpumc).
Feature image by MiniPress and available for download at: https://www.etsy.com/listing/488606806/instant-download-your-word-is-a-lamp-to?ref=shop_home_active_1
Pastor's Notepad 
[…] he learns to let go of his pride and arrogance and offer praise to God, despite his circumstance. In chapter 1, we discussed where God might call us to go. In chapter 2 we wrestle with what we might endure to […]