Thursday, July 23, 2009
Have you ever experienced isolation before? I think about Jonah in the belly of the fish. This man experienced a crushing isolation that comes from rebellion against God’s will. He had the idea that running in the opposite direction of the one God wanted would be better and less resistant for his life. This caused rejection by his community on his ships crew. The fish sure liked his rebellious attitude because he swallowed him whole and now he sits isolated in the belly of this giant fish. What a meal for the fish and what a sour smell Jonah had to endure. Death now grasps Jonah in its hands; He is cut off from the very source of life; oxygen is not stored in the belly of a fish so time is of the essence in his mind. God’s compassion for the people of Nineveh really annoyed Jonah and he ran off to be by himself. What is sad is that the leafy plant even abandoned Jonah. Now that’s what you call an outcast.
While sitting here thinking of Jonah I realize something, there is different types of isolation. As is sit here writing I have isolated myself from everything around me. Some people need peace and quiet; I need a little jazz or soft worship music to dray my senses to a writer’s world of peace. I put on my headphones and turn on the music while I visit my writer’s world. However I do realize that this type of isolation is self imposed and by my own vocation. I realize that my writing style differs from most. Most writers need a state of quietness and a place where nobody resides. My mind tends to wonder in the opposite direction and this is probably due to the ADD in my life. Either way this isolation can be a place of solitude for a lot of Christians.
The isolation that I am in right now is not the same as the one that Jonah is experiencing in his life. Mine is not generated by a rebellious attitude against God. I am submitting to what I feel God is directing me to do, and that is to write this first book so that it might inspire a deeper and more relative connection with God for others. I know because I have been in that state of loneliness that Jonah experienced. Of course being a youth pastor, I am surrounded by people all the time. Ministry is a people business, and when you are in people business sometimes helping others sometimes you feel left out about your needs. I would never change it because I am being obedient to God and He takes care of everything in my time of solitude with Him. Rebellion cuts us off from God who is our only true companion. No matter what we’re doing or who we’re with if we stand outside the will of God we are isolated and in the world of loneliness.
Jonah 2
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