12152024 Jonah the Great Missionary

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our great God who is able to speak to the hearts of men. Often when people pray for the unsaved, they pray that God would send someone across their path to share the gospel. It’s not a bad prayer, because “how will they hear without a preacher?” But I always wonder why we don’t pray more often that God would draw them, because no man can come unless the Father draw him (John 6:44).

Jonah is an incredible example of this idea. There was a preacher, although a rather stubborn and unwilling one. Yet everyone that Jonah came into contact with believed in God. Why? It certainly can’t be because of Jonah. It was because God drew them.

In chapter 1, God drew the heathen mariners. When the great storm arose, their first instinct was to call “every man unto his god” (1:5). They were introduced to the true God when Jonah admitted he was running from Him, and they were impressed by the true God’s power. They began praying to God (when Jonah apparently didn’t) in 1:14. When the storm ceased, “the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows” (1:16).

Next stop – Ninevah. God was set to destroy the city because “their wickedness [was] come up before [Him]” (1:2). What happened? When Jonah shared God’s message of coming destruction, “the people of Ninevah believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth” (3:5). The king of Ninevah laid aside his royal clothing, went into mourning, and declared a fast (3:6-8). He called on his people to “cry mightily unto God” and to “turn every one from his evil way.” This was an incredible revival in a very large city – tens of thousands of people turning to God because God drew them.

Jonah wasn’t very happy about the result when God spared the city due to their repentance. It is almost shocking to read his angry response in 4:2 – hard to believe any servant (or child) of God would think this way. In essence, Jonah complained, “See. That’s just why I didn’t want to come. I had a feeling You might just forgive them instead of destroying them. And I’m so upset by the result that I wish I could die rather than see it.” What!?!?

I’m not trying to imply that any of you are like Jonah! You are serving God willingly and have strong desires that the lost would come to God. But if God can draw so many people through such an unwilling servant, can He not draw men through willing servants also? Keep giving the message, and may God draw the hearers to Himself.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA