How Do You Run From The Omnipresent One?

Jonah ran from God.

“Jonah got up and went the other direction… running away from God. He went down to the port of Joppa and found a ship headed for Tarshish. He paid the fare and went on board, joining those going to Tarshish—as far away from God as he could get.” (Jonah 1.3 MSG)

I can relate to Jonah, because I tried to run too.

Having grown up in a Christian family, I knew about God and the plans he had for me.

But in my teen years, I decided to try things my way.

I ran from God. I joined others—as far away from God as I could get… kinda like Jonah.

And like Jonah, I found it impossible to successfully run from God.

I mean, really—how do you run from the omnipresent One?

God was there when I was using drugs.

No matter how far I thought I got from him, he was there.

My moment of awakening came when, on the run from God, I heard him whisper to me…

“You know I love you—and you know you can’t run from me.”

The Psalmist wrote,

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139.7-10 NIV)

On the worst day of Jonah’s life, God was there.

Even though Jonah was running from God, God was still there—still rescuing, and still working in him.

In Eugene Peterson’s introduction to the book of Jonah, he says, “The whole time, God is working within and around Jonah’s very ineptness and accomplishing his purposes in him.”

Maybe you, like me—and Jonah, have attempted to run from God.

But really, how do you run from the omnipresent One?

Just know this…

He loves you. And you can’t run from him.