Things did not go well for Jonah. He was caught in a terrible storm on a ship. He was thrown overboard. He was swallowed by a huge fish. After he was spewed out by the fish onto dry land, he felt compelled by God to go to the people of Nineveh, a people that he hated, to tell them about the mercy of God. Afterwards, when he had found some rest in the shade of a bush, the bush withered, leaving him sweltering in the scorching heat.

And Jonah complained. But God responded with a bigger complaint—that Jonah had been concerned entirely about himself, and had little concern for other people. What Jonah needed to do was to turn life outward and follow God’s call to be in mission to the world. Or as Jesus later said, “Those who lose their life for the sake of the gospel will find life.” (Mark 8:35)

We follow God’s call today by sharing in the mission of the church, and so find the real life of God’s Kingdom. At the very start of the book of Jonah, God’s first words to Jonah are, “Arise, go . . .” (Jonah 1:2) May we respond to Gods’ call today, to go forth in service to the world!

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About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.