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“One day long ago, God’s Word came to Jonah, Amittai’s son: “Up on your feet and on your way to the big city of Nineveh! Preach to them. They’re in a bad way and I can’t ignore it any longer.” But Jonah got up and went the other direction to Tarshish, running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish – as far away from God as he could get.” Jonah 1:1-3

You probably remember the story from Sunday School or VBS: Jonah ,a prophet in the OT, was told by God to go to the city of Nineveh. Jonah was told to go Nineveh to warn them about God’s judgment and though he ran from God (chapter 1-2) once he finally does go to Nineveh (chapter 3) he rescues (saves) an entire city. We learn a few things I believe from the story of Jonah that apply to our lives.
1.    Our Mission

Matthew 28:18-20
Acts 20:24

God tells Jonah to go to Nineveh and reach its people. God throughout the Bible has been using people to accomplish his purposes on earth. In the NT we see that Jesus invites us to take part in his mission: seeking the lost and helping the sick. Just like Jonah each of us who choose to follow Christ have been given a mission. We have been called like Jonah to reach a lost and dying city (a lost and dying world). God calls us just like Jonah to be a missionary to our Nineveh (Butler). He calls us to invest our lives (our time and energy) into helping rescue our city. Choosing to accept this mission for your lives is the greatest thing you can ever give your life too. God doesn’t assign this mission to the experts (the priests and prophets) only but rather extends it to all the people who dare to believe that God can rescue our Nineveh.

2.    Our City
Facts about Nineveh:
•    One of the capital cities in the Assyrian Nation (world power)
•    Known for their cruelty, idolatry, witchcraft, and wickedness
•    Would kill all the men and rape all the women
•    Sand trap method
•    About ½ million people (including women and children)
•    Epi-center of art, commerce, and innovation

I have found that running from my Nineveh is running from God, that if I ignore my city, my community then I am ignoring God. Just like Jonah we have been sent on a mission from God to a city where people are in need of hope, life, love, and truth-they are in need of who God is. Our city is in need of people who will become a Jonah to their city. Imagine if you would listen and respond to God’s call and go to your Nineveh. Jonah though unwilling at first saved an entire city because we did God’s work in his city. What if we did the same? What if we did that in Butler? What if you did it in your school?

Our Big Fish Moment
We are all faced with a decision, will be run like Jonah and hope God sends a fish to rescue us, or will we embrace God’s mission and love our city.