Do you feel disconnected from God's Word, sensing that your spiritual growth has hit a standstill? Do
you long for spiritual refreshment and the passion for learning more and growing spiritually?
Delve into the captivating story of Jonah and embark on a faith-renewal journey.
As you immerse yourself in the Scriptures, you'll uncover profound insights, unveiling this Hebrew
masterpiece's rich background and irony, filled with God's boundless grace. You’ll discover God's
unwavering pursuit of us, paralleling His relentless chase of Jonah. While you explore “Pursuing God’s
Heart” alongside the Book of Jonah, you'll be astonished by how its ageless wisdom resonates with our
contemporary world and personal experiences.
If you've been feeling spiritually stagnant, as though your faith isn't flourishing, or reading the Bible has
become a dry and burdensome task, this book offers a lifeline. Reignite your passion for learning and
experience spiritual growth by immersing yourself in the Scriptures, guided by the wisdom of the Holy
Spirit. As you navigate this book and the Book of Jonah, let your yearning for spiritual growth find
fulfillment in the presence of the Almighty. "Pursuing God’s Heart" is your roadmap to a deeper, more
vibrant faith.
Do you feel disconnected from God's Word, sensing that your spiritual growth has hit a standstill? Do
you long for spiritual refreshment and the passion for learning more and growing spiritually?
Delve into the captivating story of Jonah and embark on a faith-renewal journey.
As you immerse yourself in the Scriptures, you'll uncover profound insights, unveiling this Hebrew
masterpiece's rich background and irony, filled with God's boundless grace. You’ll discover God's
unwavering pursuit of us, paralleling His relentless chase of Jonah. While you explore “Pursuing God’s
Heart” alongside the Book of Jonah, you'll be astonished by how its ageless wisdom resonates with our
contemporary world and personal experiences.
If you've been feeling spiritually stagnant, as though your faith isn't flourishing, or reading the Bible has
become a dry and burdensome task, this book offers a lifeline. Reignite your passion for learning and
experience spiritual growth by immersing yourself in the Scriptures, guided by the wisdom of the Holy
Spirit. As you navigate this book and the Book of Jonah, let your yearning for spiritual growth find
fulfillment in the presence of the Almighty. "Pursuing God’s Heart" is your roadmap to a deeper, more
vibrant faith.
Chapter 1
GROWING, THOUGH IMPERFECT
Why do adult people stop growing physically? Is it the same spiritually?
Come with me as we dive into an intriguing question that bridges the realms of human growth and spirituality: Why do people stop growing physically? And does the same hold true for spiritual growth? Drawing upon biblical perspectives, we provide an informative and motivational analysis that sheds light on these thought-provoking concepts.
Unlike our restricted physical development, spiritual growth has no definite boundaries that can hold us back. The Bible places emphasis on the continuous process of maturing spiritually, evidenced by Scriptures such as 2 Peter 3:18, which states, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
In essence, our physical growth eventually reaches a plateau, but our spiritual journey offers endless opportunities for growth and development. The limitless nature of spiritual growth enables us to continually hone our virtues, foster stronger relationships with God, and navigate life's challenges with more profound wisdom and resilience. Embark on a journey of spiritual expansion and find your true potential, unbound by the finite constraints that govern our physical existence.
We stop growing spiritually when we stop pursuing the heart of God.
There was a time when I was not in God’s Word like I needed to be. Life was coming at me in many different directions. Raising kids, working full time, attending school part time, and making sure we all made it to church and children’s activities, I rarely made time for God or me. I didn’t realize that making time for God was making time for me. In essence, I was running away from God. When I started growing and pursuing the heart of God, I felt better, more energized, and more confident. God softened my heart and showed me ways that He could use me. I found myself being more patient and encouraging others. I encourage you to make time for Him daily; this book is a great place to start.
Let’s look at the Book of Jonah as a highly organized historical account. Pick up your favorite version of the Bible and read the four chapters of Jonah. It has all the traits of the Hebrew narrative, rich in its presentation. Jonah is a literary masterpiece and is meant to teach. This book will confront us. As we go through each chapter, we will look at growth guides that ask ourselves if we are growing spiritually in the Lord.
As we go through each chapter, we will look at growth guides that ask ourselves if we are growing spiritually in the Lord. You will have an opportunity to reflect on what is going on for you right now. At the end of each chapter, there will be questions about what we are learning, and then you will see important takeaways as we grow in our relationship with Christ.
v Jonah’s Background
Let’s start by looking at Jonah’s background and what is going on in his world:
Jonah 1:1 He is the son of Amittai.
2 Kings 14:25 He is mentioned as a prophet who lives in Gath-Heper, near Nazareth.
Jeroboam II 786 to 746 He is not a good king. He had a wickedness of heart.
Nineveh - the heart of the Assyrian empire, enemy territory.
Things are not good in the world. Things are not good at home, and Jonah is asked to go into enemy territory to give them a word from God.
You see, God is concerned about ALL people, even the ones we would consider evil, and He clearly shows His care by sending Jonah to Ninevah.
v Irony as a Literary Device
Jonah 1:1 “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai.”
Let’s start with the meaning of his name. Jonah means dove. As we will see, Jonah is anything but. When I think of a dove, I think of peace and promise, not Jonah. In the Old and New Testaments, we see occasions where a dove symbolizes peace and promise. For example, there is a dove in the story of Noah and another that descends upon Jesus when He is baptized. In the book of Leviticus, one of the sacrificial offerings is a dove. See the irony? Jonah’s name represents peace, but nothing he does is about peace. He runs from God and hates the Assyrians, and he wants them to die. We know where this story is going, and if you don’t know it, hang on to your hat because it is a wild ride.
Son of Amittai. This is Jonah’s family name. Amittai is also a play on words. It means “truth.” Jonah is not truthful. He tells others that he worships God, yet he does not. So, Peace and Truth are mentioned in the first verse of Jonah and do not represent who Jonah really is.
One of the dominant traits of Hebrew literature is irony. Irony is an incongruency or discrepancy. Regarding literature, it can be a figure of speech, an event, or a statement that occurs opposite to what is expected. Irony is commonly used by those who wish to state the truth to those guilty of contorting or misusing it. We see this clearly by looking at Jonah’s first and last names. We will look at Jonah and how ironic his existence really is.
Read in 1 Kings 17: 8-10. Notice that the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go at once to Zarapheth.” In 1 Kings 18: 1-2, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab.”
Throughout the Scripture, God speaks, the prophet hears it, and the prophet obeys, or at least this is how it works with other prophets. However, the exception is the prophet Jonah, who flees and tries to go in the opposite direction.
God tells Jonah to go to the Assyrians because they are wicked. The sins of the Assyrians were many:
Polytheism—the worship of many gods
Extreme brutality, exploitation, and violence (They were known for taking people captive, skinning them alive, and putting their skins on the wall. I can’t even stomach that image.)
Witchcraft and sorcery
Extreme alcohol abuse
Prostitution and illicit sexuality
Now that we understand what is happening in Jonah’s world, let’s dig deeper into God’s Word. Go back and reread Chapter 1 of Jonah. Now we will look at it slowly together. Oh, there is so much information in this first little chapter.
How many ‘downs’ do you see? He goes ‘down’ to Joppa, ‘down’ into the boat, ‘down’ into the water, ‘down’ into the fish. When we run away from God, it is always a downward spiral, even if we don’t see it.
Growth Guide #1 Spiritual growth moves toward God’s Commands regardless of difficulty.
Jonah 1:2-3 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.
He bought a ticket to get on a boat away from God. There’s always a boat waiting at Joppa. The evil one will make sure of it.
Always!
Describe an experience when you wanted to run away from God.
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Where did you see the enemy provide a way to run?
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How can you recognize the temptation to run away from God in the future? In what ways can you resist that temptation?
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v Prayer
A simple prayer to help you stay grounded in God when you want to flee: O Lord, Your Word tells us, You order our steps. Help me obediently walk the steps You designed for me. Keep me seeking You, Lord. In Jesus’ Powerful and Precious Name. Amen.
v Jonah’s Escape
When Jonah gets on board, verse four says there is a great wind. Then the LORD sent a great wind. The LORD is in charge of the storm. This storm would get any of our attention but not Jonah's. This storm is his punishment for his disobedience. And he sleeps through it. What? Don’t you sometimes wish you could sleep through storms in your life and when you wake up, have them be over? It’s human nature to want to escape from hard times, but that is not God’s way. He gets our attention, and we live conscious and wide awake through the storms.
In verse five, each sailor prays to their god. The sailors and passengers on this boat are not Jewish. This is not a typical storm. They throw their cargo into the sea, willing to do anything to save their lives. But Jonah went ‘down’ into the ship and fell into a deep sleep. In the counseling world, when clients' lives are a mess, they sleep; it is an escape. We are a society that escapes with chemical addictions, pornography, sleep, video games, and other things. Many are depressed and anxious and are trying to escape the storm.
In verse six, the captain comes to Jonah and says, “How can you sleep? Get up, arise, and call on your god.” Do something, get religious, and maybe we won’t die. How ironic that the captain repeats the opening words to Jonah from God. ARISE.
A Hebrew word, qum, means arise, get up. We see this theme in several places in the book of Jonah.
The Lord tells Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh (1:20)
The captain implores Jonah to arise (1:6)
God tells Jonah to arise and go to Nineveh a second time (3:2)
Jonah Arises and goes to Nineveh
The king of Nineveh rose from the throne (3:6)
The author wants us to see that when the word of Yahweh comes to us, we are to get up and take action.
In verse seven, the sailors tell each other, "Let’s find out who is responsible for this storm.” They agree to “cast lots” to find the culprit. Most scholars believe that when they cast lost in the Bible, some type of dice, sticks, or stones were used to help make decisions. It is often compared to our modern-day version of flipping a coin or drawing names from a hat. This is part of their religious practice. This storm has a purpose, and they ask who the problem is. They throw lots, and it lands on Jonah. And in the backdrop, all the sailors start toward Jonah. The sailors were right; it was Jonah.
In verse nine, Jonah says, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord who is in charge of the sea and the land.” This is a very polished Hebrew reply. I can hear him in an arrogant tone. Worship the Lord. I am a Hebrew. Here is the irony. This could have been a powerful tool of faith to teach a modern world. This was not Jonah’s show of faith, but one of arrogance.
Growth Guide #2 Spiritual growth develops a consistency between words and works.
Describe a storm you have experienced or are experiencing.
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How can you see God’s control of that storm?
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How are you responding? Is there consistency between words and works?
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v Prayer
A simple prayer in the storm: O Lord, thank You for never leaving me alone. Thank You for holding me up during the storms of life. May Your peace surround me as this storm rages on. Help me lean into You, Father, and not the world. Increase my faith in You as I wait expectantly on You to calm the storm in my life. In Jesus’ Powerful and Precious Name, Amen.
God is in charge
God is in charge of Jonah’s storm, and He is in charge of your storm. He is your strength and your peace as you traverse the storm. He goes ahead of you to make a way for you.
Polls often ask Christians and non-Christians what they dislike about Christians, and the number one issue that comes up is hypocrisy. Non-believers cite that this is the main reason they do not attend church. Based on this philosophy, non-believers wouldn’t be able to go anywhere because there are hypocrites at the grocery store, gas station, athletic events, and even in their own homes.
And here we have Jonah, who has just shattered his consistency between words and works. He had already told them that he was running away from the Lord.
In verse eleven, the sea was getting rougher, and they asked him what they needed to be saved. Jonah tells them to throw him into the sea, and then it will become calm. He knows it is his fault.
In verse twelve, Jonah wants to be thrown into the sea. This is the first of three moments in this book where Jonah wants to die. Three is a very significant number. So, hold on to that thought. We will discuss this later.
In verse thirteen, the men do their best to row back to land, but they cannot, for the sea grows even wilder. They are showing Jonah grace. They cried out to the LORD, “Don’t hold us accountable for this man’s death,” and throw him into the sea. Now they are talking to the LORD.
Jonah’s fear is a feeble thing for all its orthodoxy. The runaway prophet is shown in a bad light. The crew and captain teach him lessons about his faith.
Then they cried out to ….(Jonah 1:14)
Elohim - Generic name for deity
Yahweh - Covenant name for God.
The word Elohim occurs more than two thousand five hundred times in the Hebrew Bible, with meanings ranging from "gods" in a general sense (as in Exodus 12:12, where it describes "the gods of Egypt"), to specific gods (the frequent references to Yahweh as the "Elohim" of Israel).
v Contrast between Jonah and the Gentiles
Gentiles Jonah
Each sailor calls out 1. The captain requests that
to his own god Jonah call out to his God
Sailors attempt to save 2. Jonah is fleeing, so the lives
Jonah’s life of Gentiles will not be saved
Sailors fear the LORD 3. Jonah claims to fear the LORD.
Sailors offer sacrifices to the LORD 4. Jonah talks about vows and sacrifices but
doesn’t do it.
Growth Guide #3 Spiritual growth shows a testimony to the unbelieving world, not the other way around.
How do you escape from the difficulties in your life?
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Write down ways you surrender your anxiety, fear, and negative emotions to the Lord.
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What does the world see in your testimony to the non-believing world?
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v Prayer
A simple prayer of surrender: O Lord, thank You for being my constant help in trouble. Help me surrender all my anxieties, fears, and negativity to You. Help me lay everything at Your feet and allow You to do what only You can do. In Jesus’ Powerful and Precious Name, Amen.
Here are the questions to ask ourselves as we end this chapter.
Why do some adults stop growing spiritually?
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Are you in a season of moving toward God or away from Him? What steps can you take to draw near to Him?
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Explore the areas between your words and works. List steps that align lifestyle with testimony.
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This is the most vital question. How do you present a testimony that glorifies God to the world?
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Takeaways from Chapter 1:
People stop growing spiritually when they stop pursuing the heart of God.
Jonah broke the pattern of the prophetic mandate by going in the opposite direction of where God commanded.
Jonah claimed to be a follower of the God who made the sea, yet he tried to flee from God by sea.
The Gentile sailors revered God and His prophet more than the prophet himself.
Gayla Campbell speaks as someone with ultimate authority. Someone who knows. However, it's important to read Scripture on your own to discern if the conclusions and opinions of an author, such as Gayla, are ones you are comfortable with embracing. For me, not all of Gayla's opinions of Jonah's character or attitude behind the words coming from his mouth are accurate.
That being said, I appreciate the structure of this book; it's a combination of story, insights, encouragement, correlations, and prompts in question form that work well together, ensuring the reader's personal relationship with the Lord increases. Any book achieving the above is worth reading!
Bullet points are also provided to condense the material into bite-sized pieces, and I found this to be a genius move on the author's part. It ensures that those who are skimmers rather than deep divers are still fed the truth.
Prayers are also given to gift the reader grace and peace through surrender and requests made to our Creator that uplift.
At first glance, "Pursuing God's Heart" may appear to be a title that's a misnomer. After all, it is a study of Jonah, who ran away from God's instruction. However, there is much to be learned about God's Heart towards humanity and how we can choose to pursue the directions He gives all of us even when, within our humanness, we might question, "Why?" It's a reminder that we are finite, and while we might question, we need to act with faith like a five-year-old child, fully trusting and divinely guided.
I appreciate Gayla Campbell's desire to share God's Word with many people. She is set about sharing Scripture in a way that makes it accessible to many. She is living out the Great Commission, "making disciples of all nations." Her example is a gift that should inspire her fellow Christians to do the same. In an age where we are connected via the keys on a keyboard, there is no excuse but to share one's faith near and far. Thank you, Gayla, for your words. May you continue to share them bravely. In Jesus' Name, Amen.