MONDAY: Running From What God Has Called You To

BIG IDEA: Our own spiritual blind spots can stall out God’s mission for our lives.

Reading:

Luke 9:61-62 

“Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’”

Jonah 1:1-3 

“Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.” But Jonah rose 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, away from the presence of the Lord.”

Devotional:

Like Jonah, the passage from Luke 9 confronts delayed or divided obedience. Jesus makes it clear that following God’s call requires surrender, not negotiation.  There is a significant difference between knowing what God wants and actually doing it.

Jonah did not misunderstand God's instruction. He heard it clearly and chose the opposite direction. Many of us do the same thing. We sense a calling, a conviction, or a clear word from Scripture, and rather than obey, we book passage on the nearest ship headed somewhere else. We dress up our disobedience in practical language. We call it wisdom, timing, or self-preservation. But underneath it all, the real issue is that we want our plan more than we want God's plan.

The sermon reminds us that Jonah was likely not just running temporarily. He was likely resigning entirely, walking away from his calling because it cost too much.

Ask yourself today: Is there an area of your life where you have quietly resigned from what God has asked of you, not because you stopped believing in God, but because obedience felt too costly?

Reflection:

• What has God clearly called you toward that you have been moving away from?

• What is the real cost you are afraid to pay?

• In what ways have you confused your preferences with God's purposes?

Practical Application:

Write down one specific area where you sense God has been calling you to move forward but you have been stalling. Do not try to solve it today. Simply name it honestly before God in prayer.

Song of the Day:

Take You At Your Word // Cody Carnes // Live From Worship Together 2023