Are You A Runner

"Get up, go to the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it, because I see the evil things they do." Jonah 1:2 New Century Version

Good Morning Girlfriends:

It's been at least two years ago I would say when the movie "Overcomer" had come out in theaters, a friend of mine and my daughter had went to see it. I have to admit I always cry at these movies and this one was no exception. The young girl who played in the movie, loved to run and she had signed up for the cross country race, but not only was she the only one who signed up at that school , but she also had asthma. When she had showed up for practice, the coach could not believe that she was the only one ,but also that she had a breathing problem, how in the world would she be able to run, he wanted to throw in the towel.

This young girl was going to give it her best shot as she showed up for practice, she would train with the coach and his family would help with the training as they would jog along with her. The young girl's father had come onto the scene and helped coach her through all of her asthma attacks as she climbed hill, and he taught her how to pace herself through each turn on the trail, each hill that was harder to climb. Even though this young girl had many hurdles to face throughout the movie, she ended up victorious in the end, she was an overcomer by winning the race.

Unlike the young girl, Jonah did not want to run the course that God wanted him to run, instead he turned and ran the other way, he ran in the opposite direction and was headed for disaster. Jonah decided to hop on a boat and head to Tarshish so he wouldn't have to do what God had asked him to do. The Lord sent a great wind out on the sea, which put everyone on board in danger. The captain approached Jonah and asked him to pray to his God to help them out, but Jonah knew the reason for the storm so Jonah told them that it was his fault the storm had come, that he was running from God, so he told them to throw him overboard and the sea would be calm again. When Jonah was thrown into the sea, we know the story, he was swallowed up by the whale, and he stayed there for three days and nights until he had agreed to God that he would go back to Nineveh to warn the people.

Girlfriends, these can be very simple stories but in real life we go through many things that are hard to face, and may be hard to persevere through. Some of us may be like the girl in the movie, who pushed through no matter how hard it was, to breathe, and to go through all the training, and practicing every day, but she showed up and in the end it paid off. God is the God who sees all of our struggles that we go through in life, and He knows when we are running in the opposite direction that He wants us to go. We make a lot of mistakes and wrong choices sometimes, but that doesn't stop God from loving us or giving us another chance to make it right. God has enough love and compassion for you to say, "let's get you turned around and on the right path.

Maybe you are running from a situation, a relationship, a career, or maybe you are running from God, maybe you've heard Him calling your name and you ran in the opposite direction like Jonah did. God still loved Jonah even though he ran in the opposite direction, but God loved him enough to go after Him, and when Jonah had time to think about it, he knew what he had to do and turn back to God as he went to Nineveh to warn the people because even though they were sinning and living wrongly, God loved those people too, and God loves you just the same.

Let's Pray,

Father God, I'm so thankful that you don't hold anything against us, even when we turn our backs on you. I am so ever grateful that you have so much love and compassion to forgive us when we get tired of running. Lord I lift that sweet person up who has been running in the wrong direction that has been leading them away from you. Lord I pray as you call out their name again that they would have open ears to hear you, and that they would surrender their life, once and for all to you, in the Mighty name of Jesus. Lord I ask that you would make your presence and your love known to them right now, right where they are at. I pray the most wonderful warm feeling would wash all over them in Jesus name as they experience the love of almighty God, in Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Be blessed sweet ladies, and pass the blessings on for you are blessed, and remember God loves you very much.