Jonah:  An Emerging Leader on a Voyage to Discovery

The theme for this year’s annual BGAV meeting is “Voyage to Discovery.”  The Program Committee selected this theme and wanted to emphasize Emerging Leaders.  My first thought was, who in the Bible best models that for us.  I almost laughed out loud when the strangest person, Jonah, crossed my mind.  Then I thought more about it and realized he actually is a good interpreter of our theme.  Let me explain what I mean.

God tells the prophet Jonah to go to Nineveh.  Jonah says No.  And the book becomes, of all things, a comedy.  God takes an angry little fussbudget, this Hebrew Archie Bunker, and uses him against his will to bring forgiveness and grace to the enemy.  Jonah’s story reveals that God has a sense of humor and a sense of mercy wider than the sea. 

God spoke to Jonah and said, “Get up and go to the big city of Nineveh.”  And Jonah got up and went – the other way.  The reason was simple; he didn’t much like these people.  Everybody knew these were evil people.  They were famously cruel, practitioners of genocide, and sworn enemy of his own country.  “Take my words to them,” says God.  “No!” say Jonah.

What I like about Jonah is that he gives an honest answer.  It’s better that he do this than what most of us do.  Most of us, if faced with a call to do something hard, will give it good lip service and work up some good intentions and fervent feelings, then go on about our business.  We keep our time protected, keep our checkbooks closed, and keep ourselves distracted, just pretending that we’re faithful.  Jonah’s way has more hope in it.  At least he took God seriously enough to give an honest answer.  I guess our “yes” to God should more often begin with an honest “no.”

Now let’s look at his voyage to discovery.  Jonah bought a ticket to a place as far away as possible.  Nineveh was northeast; Jonah boarded a west-bound boat for Spain.  It’s a trip, incidentally, he would not have enjoyed.  Israelites were landlubbers, uncomfortable on the sea.  Don’t picture Jonah stretched out happily on a deck chair, sipping tea and reading a good book.  Picture him pale green, leaning over the rail.  This is the irony of disobedience.  We flee God’s call because it seems hard – and end up choosing unhappiness.  It’s one of the oddest things about us, how we would rather be sick than faithful.

So God comes to Jonah and rocks his boat – HARD.  God becomes a storm, huge waves crashing over the ship, huge winds tilting it almost over.  The sailors fighting the storm prayed hard.  Jonah didn’t.  He was curled up in a fetal position, sleeping an angry sleep.  The captain came down and said, “Get up and pray!”  Jonah didn’t.  Isn’t it hard to call on God when you’ve turned a deaf ear to God’s call on you?

Well, you know the rest of the story.  The story reminds us that God wants no one to perish.  The Ninevites seem hell-bent on death but God reaches down to save them.  Jonah is a willful little man who would rather die than love his enemy; but amazingly God saves him in spite of himself.  God saves the sailors.  The storm stops and there is a revival on the poop deck.  God even saves the fish.  Poor fish – got an angry preacher in its belly, that’s a bellyache!

Here is the most wonderful news I know.  It’s also the most hilarious thing I ever heard and the most troubling thing too.  God is God.  And in Sovereign love, God can do whatever God wants to do.  God can judge any people, no matter how right they think they are.  God can pardon any people, no matter how sinful.  God can use any of us as His emerging leaders for His big purpose, now matter how small we are.  What do you do with that?  Are you ready for a voyage?