He Paid the Fare

God called Jonah to go and preach in Nineveh, a notoriously wicked city. Not only that, but Nineveh was also an enemy of the Israelites.

So when God said to Jonah, an Israelite, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it” (Jonah 1:2), Jonah didn’t want to go. He knew if the people of Nineveh didn’t repent, they would be judged. And he thought, I know the Lord. He has this tendency to forgive people. I really don’t want Him to forgive them. I don’t want Him to give Nineveh another chance.

But God told Jonah to get up and go, so he got up and went. But he went the other way. Instead of going 500 miles northeast to Nineveh, Jonah attempted to go 2,000 miles west to Tarshish. The Bible tells us, “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 from the presence of the Lord” (Jonah 1:3). Jonah paid the fare to live in disobedience to God.

This is something we should know about sin. It will cost us. Sin is very expensive. Sometimes businesses promise a product or service now, with no payments until later. We love this, because it seems as though we are getting something free. But payday will come, with interest.

The devil says, “Play now. You won’t have to pay.” But sin will always cost us. Jonah paid the fare. Adam’s sin cost him paradise. David’s sin cost him his family and reputation. Samson’s sin ultimately cost him his life. What is your sin costing you?