The prophet Jonah lived in the mid – 700s B.C. He is famous, of course, for being swallowed by a “great fish” and living to tell about it! However, Jonah’s story is much more complicated and important than just that one miraculous event. In fact, Jonah is very much like many of us. He often chose to ignore God and go the opposite direction. He whined and complained when things didn’t work out for him. He got angry at people and at God, and he lived part of his life in depression and selfishness. Sound like anyone you know? Been there, done that?
Jonah was a runner. Over the next few weeks, we’ll try to keep up with him. We’ll find that Jonah ran from God, back to God, and then he was running “mad” at God. The truth of the matter is that good people sometimes run from God, and the results are never good. We will see, however, that God pursues those that are His with compassion and grace if we will just run to Him. No how far and fast you might run, you can never outrun the love and the presence of God!