Hunter Christner

What gets your attention? Is it sports, money, adventure, mystery? There are constantly things and people in this world fighting for our attention. Some of them are good, and some of them are bad. Some of them are obvious, and some are more subtle. What do you think it would take for God to get your attention? Maybe he already has your attention.

Maybe you have been avoiding giving him your attention and focusing on what it is that you want. That is very similar to the story of Jonah in the Bible. God told Jonah, a prophet, or spokesman for God, to go to the great city of Nineveh to give them a message. Jonah, however, was not interested in giving God his attention, and he had his mind set on avoiding what God had told him. God did not allow Jonah to ignore him. Jonah got on a ship going the opposite direction to avoid doing what God had told him to do. God then caused a big storm to affect the ship. After asking the other sailors to be tossed overboard, Jonah was swallowed by a big fish.

God was still in control even when Jonah thought he would take his next steps into his own hands.

This great supernatural event is what it took to get Jonah’s attention. Once he came to realize this, he repented. He thanked God for preserving his life and reoriented his next step toward doing what God had told him to do. Once God had his attention and Jonah set his mind on doing what God had told him, God caused the big fish to spit Jonah out on the shore. From there he went on his journey to Nineveh. Jonah warned the people of Nineveh of the destruction they were bringing on themselves by not giving their attention to God and living life the way they wanted. They responded to God’s warning that Jonah brought by giving God their attention and followed the example of Jonah. The people repented. They stopped living the way that they had set their mind to and instead started living the way that God wanted them to. Jonah had a pretty compelling personal story to share with them as he tried to convince them to respond to God.

This question remains: What do you think it would take for God to get your attention? A bad storm? A near-death experience? A supernatural event? In a few weeks, we will celebrate Easter, the ultimate supernatural event. The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. If that doesn’t get your attention, I’m not sure what will. If you don’t think it’s true, I challenge you to investigate the history. There is compelling evidence that Jesus actually died and rose from the dead. God did this to get your attention. He wants you to know that he loves you. He wants you to know that he created you and wants what is best for you. Because he is God, he deserves our attention and affection. He wants you to repent from going your own way and reorient your life toward following him.

You can talk to him and say, “Hey, God. You’ve got my attention. Thank you for saving me from my own way that leads to destruction. You deserve to be in charge of my life. Show me how to follow you. Amen.”

You can pray Psalm 143:8 as you ask God to help you reorient your life. “May the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

(Hunter Christner is associate staff at Campus Ventures in Powell.)