The parable of Jonah is one of the unique passages in the Old Testament. The Lord spoke to Jonah and gave him an assignment. "Now the Word of the Lord came to Jonah. . . saying, 'Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness has come up before me"' Jonah 1:1-2). God's call to Jonah was clear as a crystal.

Instead of Jonah obeying the command of the Lord he ran from the Lord. He went down to Joppa and caught a ship that was going to Tarshish and went on board, "To go with them...away from the presence of the Lord"(Jonah 1:3).

Evidently Jonah had not read Psalm 139:9 where the Psalmist said, "IfI take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost part of the sea, even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me." There is no escaping from the Lord and his assignment for us.

While enroute to Tarshish a storm arose and the sailors cast lots to see whose god hadcaused the storm. The lots fell on Jonah because he was running from the Lord. Jonah was thrown overboard and the storm subsided.

"The Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and nights"(Jonah 1:1 7).

'Then Jonah prayed to the Lord from the belly of the fish in distress, and the Lord answered him"(Jonah 2:1-2) Here we see Jonah running to God And Jonah said, "Deliverancebelongs to the Lord" (Jonah 2:9).

Then in the parable of Jonah, "the Word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time saying, "Arise go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." (Jonah 2: 1-2).

Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, and the people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a fast. Here Jonah runs with God and carries out the command of the Lord.

Jonah is a parable that we can hold up before our lives, and we see ourselves running from the Lord? Can we also see ourselves running to God? How about our running with God in faith and obedience?

Alsobrook is a retired United Methodist Church minister living in Americus.