God’s call is not some mysterious, out-of-this-world experience. Not everyone is privileged to be called the way Prophet Samuel, Apostle Paul, or even the twelve disciples were called by Jesus Christ. Let’s be honest with ourselves and give these men some accolades. If you had lived during the time Jesus walked the earth physically, and He called you, would you have answered? Would you really have left everything behind to follow Him, or would you have hesitated, weighed your options, and possibly walked away like the rich young ruler?
These men had undeniable, extraordinary encounters with God. Yet, despite the uniqueness of their call, it did not come with a detailed blueprint or manual outlining every step. They had to trust God completely, following His instructions, speaking what He commanded, and walking in obedience one step at a time.
At its core, God’s call is a call to make Him known. It is a call to go out and proclaim His name so that people may come to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. This leads to their redemption and their transition from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son, our Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:13).
Though this mission sounds simple, there are various paths and ways to fulfill it. Because we are not omnipresent like God, He has positioned His children in different parts of the world to reveal Him. He has His ambassadors everywhere; in China, the United States, Italy, and every nation. And right here in Nigeria, He has placed you and me to fulfill this divine assignment.
He has not only drawn us to Himself but also called us to proclaim the good news: that Jesus Christ, His Son, came into the world as the perfect and final sacrifice for the sins of His people, and for all who receive Him. John 1:12 says “But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God.”
He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, crucified by the very hands He created, died, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and is now seated at the right hand of God, interceding for us. Wrapped up in this good news is the reality that we have become a completely different kind of being from the first man, Adam. We are no longer after the likeness of the first Adam but now after the order of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:29 says “For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
If the human mind can grasp this truth; that He has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6), then we will truly begin to walk in the liberty that Christ has made available to us.
However, amidst navigating work, losing a job, a marriage, a contract, mourning a loved one, experiencing heartbreak, or failing an examination, it can be difficult to keep this reality at the forefront of our minds. Life’s challenges often cloud our awareness of who we truly are in Christ. This is why we must consistently immerse ourselves in the Scriptures; so that this truth becomes deeply rooted in us. When we fail to let it take root, we risk living below our divine inheritance. Many Christians live in defeat, not because God’s power is lacking, but because they have not fully embraced the truth of their identity in Christ.
Think of the Good News as a ‘National Cake’
Now, assuming you understand your new identity in Jesus Christ and are fully walking in the blessings that come with it, this is a cake that must be shared with everyone! This is a divine feast, a national cake that God desires the entire world to partake in! He wants this so much that He has commissioned each of His children to go out and share it. There are still many who haven’t had a taste, which is why we are called to spread the message.
Indeed, we have all been called, but our responses differ. Some, like Jonah, resist and come up with countless reasons why it shouldn’t or can’t be them. Others respond like the zealous Israelites during Zerubbabel’s time, immediately setting aside everything to answer the call, following without hesitation or question.
Jonah represents those who struggle with the call, finding every excuse to avoid it. The disciples; Peter, Andrew, James and John, on the other hand, are those who, without delay, step forward and wholeheartedly embrace the mission, following with unwavering commitment.
God’s Call to Jonah
God’s call to Jonah was simple: announce My judgment against Nineveh so that they may repent and be saved. Ezekiel 33:11 says “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’
God called Jonah, saying in Jonah 1:2, “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”
Like many of us, Jonah clearly heard the call but chose to go in the opposite direction to escape the Lord! In Jonah’s case, he wasn’t just hesitant or unsure; he was willfully and consciously disobeying God. In fact, he stands in a class of his own. Many people hear the call but are genuinely frightened, confused, or unsure if they are the right fit for the assignment. But Jonah? He had no doubt about whether he was called or not; he simply chose to run.
But before we put on our hats of judgment or cast our stones at him, let’s consider ourselves. Many of us have been Jonah at some point in our lives, or are even Jonah right now. While we may not have blatantly run from God, we have taken steps that are just as much like going in the opposite direction.
- When God called you to be a pastor, a shepherd, but you took up a 9-to-5 job, fully knowing He didn’t approve of it; or even took it without first asking Him if it was okay because you knew He wouldn’t approve, you were going in the opposite direction.
- When God called you to go to various states or countries as an evangelist, but instead, you settled with a pulpit and now pastor full-time in one or two places, you’ve gone in the opposite direction.
- When you got married to that man or woman, knowing how far away from God they could lead you, you went in the opposite direction.
- When you chose your children over the work of God, you went in the opposite direction.
- When you took up that business engagement instead of prioritizing God’s work, you went in the opposite direction.
God, in His mercy, gave Jonah a second chance and repeated the call. I imagine Jonah shaking his head, wondering how many more chances God has to give some people. Many have received far more chances than Jonah did! By the time Jonah came to his senses, he was begging for another opportunity to obey. This time, he didn’t wait to catch his breath, get some rest, or take in the sights of the city before delivering God’s message. Jonah 3:4 says, ‘On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: ‘Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!
Can you imagine for a moment how many people could be saved through you—through your message, through your obedience? The whole city was saved by Jonah’s obedience.
In Jonah 3:5-9, it says of their act of repentance, ‘The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow. When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne, took off his royal robes, dressed himself in burlap, and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: “No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change His mind and hold back His fierce anger from destroying us.”
I say this very carefully: indeed, some people’s salvation may be directly tied to your obedience. Whatever obedience means to you, please begin to obey today.
Oh, bless the hearts of the people of Nineveh! They were quicker to repent than even God’s own people. So quick, in fact, that Jesus said of those who heard Him but did not repent, ‘The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here’ (Matthew 12:41).
