Jonah Flees From the Clear Call of God

This meditation is based on a passage for October 24, 2010 in the Daily Lectionary Year 2 from the Book of Common Worship for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) (1993).

Text: Jonah 1:1-17

Reflection and Question: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Christians are often asked why we stay in the church, despite how often we do not feel welcome there. One of the Bible passages that answers this question is that of Jonah who we find, as the story begins, receiving a clear call from God to go to Nineveh. Jonah turns tail and flees by boat to Tarshish but storms threaten to swamp the ship. When Jonah owns up to fleeing from God, he agrees to be thrown overboard. The sea calms and a great fish swallows Jonah. Stay tuned for what happens next, but I trust you can see why we do not leave where God has called us. How do you go to where God has called you?

Prayer: Holy Spirit, we are not sure that a person can live in the belly of a fish for three days and that throwing Jonah into the sea calmed a storm. What we are sure of is that fleeing Your clear call to us is impossible so we won’t try. We are Yours. Amen.