It is hardly possible to read the stories of the Bible without seeing yourself reflected in them. We can see ourselves in uninvolved Jonah ... when Jonah hears: "Arise, go to Nineveh," he sprints for Joppa to catch a ship heading in the opposite direction for Tarshish.

Jonah’s determination not to get involved still has a lot of appeal among today’s Christians. Family frictions, an unchurched community, billions of bellies exploding with the pain of hunger - all Ninevehs. How we wish we could climb into a boat’s hold, go to sleep, and avoid them. But God calls us to care, and caring takes time! Caring takes preparation and hard work. Caring takes giving. Caring demands involvement in a world without guarantees - a world full of problems.

There was just no escape for Jonah. God had a plan for Jonah’s life, and his going in the opposite direction of that plan made no difference to the Almighty. God raised a storm, provided the short straw, and gave Jonah lodging in a specially equipped fish. Jonah had three days to think things over in most unusual surroundings. He did a lot of praying before the fish spit him up on the beach. And even before Jonah dried out, there was the Lord calling Jonah to care enough to go to Nineveh. This time Jonah went. He still realized that it’s trouble to care but now knew it was more trouble not to care.

The call of God to us who serve him is always a call to care. People are hurting both within the church and without - people for whom God cares. Jesus came to our earth because people were suffering from the consequences of their sins. There is joy in following Jesus, but there is also suffering, for evil does not stand idly by when under attack. To follow Christ means to be involved with people - their needs and their hurts.

Caring for one another takes time, our time; it takes energy, our energy; it takes giving, our giving. That God in Christ cared for us is known. Even Jonah knew that God cared for him. But do we appreciate it? And if so, how much? And if much, then how will we respond to God’s caring?

Every day a boat embarks for Nineveh; Jonah missed it the first time around - will you be on it?