WEDNESDAY, JULY 11
“So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare…”
Jonah 1:3 NASB
ON THE RUN: RUNNING HAS A COST
A young man was walking through a supermarket to pick up a few things when he noticed an old lady following him around. Thinking nothing of it, he ignored her and continued on. Finally he went to the checkout line, but she got in front of him. “Pardon me,” she said, “I’m sorry if my staring at you has made you feel uncomfortable. It’s just that you look just like my son, who I haven’t seen in a long time.” “That’s a shame,” replied the young man, “is there anything I can do for you?” “Yes,” she said, “as I’m leaving, can you say ‘Good bye, Mother!’ It would make me feel so much better.” “Sure,” answered the young man. As the old woman was leaving, he called out, “Good bye, Mother!” As he stepped up to the checkout counter, he saw that his total was $127.50. “How can that be?” he asked, “I only purchased a few things!” “Your mother said that you would pay for her,” said the clerk.
Jonah was also deceived, and he ended up paying more than he had expected. Whatever the cost was to get on the ship, Jonah thought it was worth it. But in the end that ticket cost way more than Jonah bargained for. It eventually got him thrown overboard at the point of near drowning and then a 3 day stay inside the belly of a whale.
There are times when we know that our actions are not God’s best for us. We may be tempted to rationalize, like Jonah, the cost of running is worth it. We might get away with it for a season but it always catches up with us. There is an old cliche that still holds true, “sin will take your farther than you ever wanted to go, keep you longer than you ever wanted to stay and cost you more than you ever wanted to pay.” What’s the biggest price you remember paying when you have chosen to run from God? Ask God for the wisdom to know the real cost of choosing not to do things His way. Also ask God to help you see and believe the value of following Him daily.
