Reluctant. That’s how I see the prophet Jonah in his eponymous book. God calls him, and he just doesn’t want the ministry he’s called to.
I get that reluctance. I wonder if that’s why I resonate with Jonah. What comes to mind for you when you think about reluctance?
A Reluctant Prophet
Jonah had an established prophetic ministry when we meet him. God spoke through him while actively protecting Israel despite their evil king (2 Kings 14). Jonah heard God speak. Jonah heard the call to leave his homeland and his work with his own people. But Jonah didn’t want to obey. With all the chaos at home, God’s call to Jonah fell on reluctant ears.