But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. Jonah 1:3

Where can a man go to escape the presence of God? Since 100% of God is everywhere all the time, it would appear that finding a place where God is not is patently impossible.

Jonah didn’t like what God wanted to do in his life, so he tried to flee to Tarshish (modern Spain) which was about as far away from Israel and Nineveh as Jonah could imagine. As though God was not there! Not only did Jonah try to flee from the presence of God to a place as far away as he could imagine, he even paid for a ticket to get there. Money can neither buy God’s presence, nor can it secure escape from it.

How am I like Jonah? God has plans for my life also. Because I do not always understand them, like Jonah, I often do not like them. Like Jonah, there are times when I somehow think that I can absent myself from God to do my will instead of obeying His. And like Jonah, I am often willing to pay to follow my lusts rather than to enjoy His love.

What a fool I can be.

The good news is that God did accomplish His will in and through reluctant Jonah; and He will in and through me as well. Why do I so often resist Him?

Lord, forgive me for my stubbornness and my willful sin. Please never stop pursuing me when I am running from You. Have mercy on me and please, may my affections be transformed, from what they so often are, to what You desire them to be.