Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, for their evil has come up before me.”But Jonah rose 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, away from the presence of the Lord. Jonah 1:1-3
Sometimes stories from the Bible seem either so familiar or so outlandish we skim right through them and move on quickly to the rest of our day. For some of us, we’ve known the story of Jonah for decades. Its contours and movements are so familiar we could retell it in our sleep and there is nothing new or surprising for us anymore. For others, the idea of prophets and lands we’ve never heard of might make us check out immediately.
Let’s take time today to experience the story in a new light. Draw or paint the story from Jonah 1:1-3. It’s okay if you don’t consider yourself an artist! Before you start, ask God to speak through this practice. When you are finished, consider where you see yourself in this story. If you are feeling especially brave, share your artwork with someone else.
By Jessica Rust
