Jonah answered “I am a Hebrew and I worship the LORD, the God of heaven who made the sea and the land. Then he told them he was running away from the LORD. 
JONAH 1:9-10 NLT


Do you think it is possible to be reverently rebellious toward Me?
     Submissively disobedient to the Commander of Angel Armies?
     Lovingly running away from Love seeking your company?
     Openly hiding from the One who knows everything about you?

How can you demonstrate such sharp contrast in your life—
     Falsely true? Genuinely counterfeit? Sincerely hypocritical?
     Unfaithfully faithful? Treacherously loyal? Dishonestly honest?
     Fearfully courageous? Halfheartedly committed?

You are a bundle of contradictions and a strange mixture of opposites—
     pure and lustful, enamored with idols and ecstatic with Me,
     hostile and kind, quarrelsome and tranquil, jealous and content,
     angry and patient, selfishly ambitious and sacrificially caring,
     fussy and gentle, bigoted and generous.

What am I to make of you? What will you let Me make of you?
     Follow heaven’s victory strategy, and you can win this tug-of-war.
     Heed My positive advice, and you can resolve this polarity within.

Like Much-Afraid in Hannah Hurnard’s Hinds’ Feet on High Places,
     you may weep bitterly and say over and over again to yourself:
          What is the use of even thinking of going to the High Places?
          I could never reach them, for the least little thing is enough
          to turn me back.

You are an oxymoron—two-sided, attempting dual allegiance.
     It will not work—an unsettled mind cannot know peace.
Will you run to Me or run away?
Will you hide in Me or try to hide from Me?
Will you be earnest by My power or just eloquent with fancy talk?
When will you wise up and quit being an oxymoron?! 

                                         (c)  Pastor Johnny R. Almond
                Day 297,  Gentle Whispers from Eternity