God IS Omnipresent - Jonah 1

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ² “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” ³ 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.⁴ But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. ⁵ Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load.^] But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. ⁶ So the captain came to him, and said to him, “What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish.” ⁷ And they said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this trouble has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. ⁸ Then they said to him, “Please tell us! For whose cause is this trouble upon us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?” ⁹ So he said to them, “I am a Hebrew; and I fear the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” ¹⁰ Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them.”

Friends, is hard for some of us to believe that still today there’s people than aren’t aware that from the presence of THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD, nobody can hide!!! I came across one of those a few years back not in a remoted part of the world but here in AMERICA!!! I was thrilled that GOD gave me a chance to present that woman with the good news of THE SAVIOR of the world, JESUS! We both were shocked!!! It was sad and exciting at the same time, but unforgettable for the most!!! But as you read this chapter you will see how THE LORD showed Jonah then, and us today a lesson about HIS OMNIPRESENCE. 

Jonah wasn’t too convinced that what GOD had said (go to preach to Nineveh) was what NEEDED to be done.  At the same time, Jonah was really convinced that not wanting to go Nineveh, go Tarshish was the best thing. Have you ever been in a situation alike before? You strongly feel GOD is telling you to do something or to talk to someone about HIM, but your own fear and apprehension moves you to avoid that place, person or thing!? Jonah, allowed HIS emotions to RULE his life so, the “best thing” (sarcastically, because it wasn’t the smartest choice either) he came up with, was to “run away” from his duty as GOD’s prophet. 

Today’s word is helping us to see that no matter where we go, THE LORD IS AWARE of it because HE IS OMNIPRESENT, which is defined as the state of being widespread or constantly encountered. In other words, HE is all the time at every place, HE sees it all!!!  

The gospel of Matthew chapter 6, JESUS HIMSELF makes us aware of HIS omnipresence.  In this case unrelated to Jonah’s, JESUS is explaining about giving to the poor, and closes the statement confirming about THE LORD’s character: “^4b Then your Father, who SEES what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Friends, THE LORD SEES IT ALL!!! Try NOT to go against HIS will ANYMORE!!! When GOD is asking us to do something, we MUST go and do it.  Not only because we MUST BUT BECAUSE HE IS in charge of the breath we take! A breath that has is being given to us to do HIS will and for HIS glory.  And when we chose NOT to follow HIS plan, we’re basically telling HIM, “you do whatever you want to with me, I’m doing my own thing”.  And since when, one of your own kids tell you that and in return you give them a hundred-dollar bill to go buy their favorite goody for Christmas??? U-hum!!! Not happening, right?! Why, because as parents, we are in charge, and they must UNDERSTAND and FOLLOW us; not the other way around! Well, guess what? We ARE GOD’s children and THE FATHER in charge is GOD HIMSELF!!! And as with our kids, HE CAN and WILL turn circumstances around to CONVINCE us of THE called and duty in our lives.

Jonah, KNEW he was disobeying GOD. So, he admitted to non-believers what he was running from, but even them “unbelievers” (heretic, heathen, atheist, agnostic, pagan, skeptic, cynic, doubter, scoffer) they knew running away from a “god” was a bad thing, so, they were afraid!!! Their reaction taught Jonah a lesson.  They proceeded as Jonah led them to, and at the end, they worshiped (verse 14) the ALMIGHTY GOD who Jonah was running from, for they realized that indeed was the TRUE GOD.  

Jonah got the message: running away from GOD IS NOT the right WAY TO GO! Did YOU???

Today, if you fail, ask HIM to forgive you, and ask HIM for HIS will and go after it. If you fail, try it again! The same tomorrow, and the day after, until you fail no more at that particular thing; then go to the next thing.

I MUST SAY, when you try to succeed in whatever you do, put THE LORD FIRST! “TRUST IN THE LORD with all your heart, and lean NOT on your own understanding, in ALL your ways ACKOWLEDGE/SUBMIT to HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE your paths STRAIGHT!” (Prov. 3:5-6)

I pray THE LORD allow you to get HIS message this morning, discovering HIM and HIS plan for your life. Also, I pray HE will give you and me, new opportunities to share the gospel with the lost right where we’re at on a daily basis, and I pray this in JESUS name and for HIS glory, AMEN!!!