November 13th, 2025 Devotional

💧 Living Water Vineyard

Thursday Devotional — Called, But Not Going

📖 Jonah 1:1–3 | Acts 1:6–11 | Luke 19:10

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💬 A Call We Don’t Want

Sometimes the hardest thing about following God isn’t hearing His voice — it’s obeying when we don’t want to.

Jonah knew God’s voice. He wasn’t confused. He wasn’t uncertain.

He just didn’t want to go.

“The word of the Lord came to Jonah… ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it.’

But Jonah ran away from the Lord…” (Jonah 1:1–3)

Nineveh was brutal — the heart of Jonah’s enemies. They didn’t deserve mercy in his eyes. Jonah’s problem wasn’t direction — it was affection. He had no love for the people God loved.

So, he ran.

He chose comfort over compassion, distance over obedience.

And yet, God’s mercy still pursued him — through storms, sailors, and the belly of a fish.

Jonah had to learn what every disciple must:

You can’t have God’s heart if you refuse His call.

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🕊 The Disciples Looking Up

Fast forward to the New Testament.

Jesus has just risen from the dead. The disciples stand on the Mount of Olives, and after giving them their mission, He begins to ascend into heaven.

They stand there — mouths open, eyes locked on the clouds.

Motionless.

“They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them.

‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky?’” (Acts 1:10–11)

In other words: “Don’t just stand here staring. Go do what He said.”

The hardest part of following Jesus isn’t always believing — it’s leaving.

Leaving comfort.

Leaving fear.

Leaving judgment behind.

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🚲 My Jonah Moment — Little Beirut, Clifton, CO

It was a hot June afternoon years ago. I had just finished a long bike ride — legs aching, sweat pouring, ready to relax. I grabbed a cold soda, turned on the TV, and there it was — a news report about a neighborhood in Clifton called Little Beirut.

The sheriff’s department reported over 1,200 calls in one year — and more than half came from one block. Two women were interviewed: “We can’t even let our kids play outside anymore.”

I remember thinking, “Somebody should do something.”

And I could almost feel the Lord whisper back, “Yes — you.”

But like Jonah, I didn’t want to go.

A few weeks later, the Food Bank of the Rockies contacted us — they had extra food to distribute. We set up an outreach near a local high school, but we had more food than people. So volunteers started knocking on doors.

One couple, Brad and Margaret, came back wide-eyed: “There’s so much need in this one area — Kimwood Park.”

The very neighborhood from that newscast.

The next week, we loaded up 50 bags of groceries and went. I had no love for that place. I didn’t want to do it. But we went anyway.

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🏚 Meeting Henry

The first house we came to was a small apartment.

A man named Henry lived there — early 60s, frail, rough life behind his eyes.

Two young girls played outside.

He invited us in.

Inside was nearly empty — no food, little furniture. He began to share his story: born in a prostitution house, raised by an addict mother, and trapped in heroin and prison for years. Then he said the words that made my stomach turn:

“Those two girls outside — they work for me, but I’m a good boss.”

I knew what he meant. I wanted to leave.

I was Jonah — standing in Nineveh, judging rather than loving.

But our friend Sue reached out, put her hand gently on his knee, and said,

“Henry, do you know Jesus?”

He said, “No.”

As she shared, tears filled his eyes.

He looked up and asked,

“How could God ever forgive someone like me?”

And I realized — that was my question, too.

Sue told him about Jesus — the One who came “to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Right there, Henry gave his life to Christ.

We came back the next week to visit him — but Henry had passed away.

He was gone… home with Jesus.

That day, God reminded me:

You never know what’s waiting on the other side of obedience.

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🌊 Jonah’s Lesson — Our Mission

Jonah didn’t love the Ninevites.

I didn’t love that neighborhood.

The disciples didn’t want to leave the hill.

But God keeps calling us out of what’s safe — and into what’s sacred.

Because love isn’t a feeling — it’s an action.

It’s going when you’d rather stay.

It’s speaking when it’s uncomfortable.

It’s obeying when your heart lags behind your feet.

When we finally go, God meets us there — and He changes lives, starting with our own.

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🔍 Reflection Questions

1. Where is your “Nineveh”? — that person, place, or situation you’d rather avoid?

2. What’s holding you back from going — fear, judgment, fatigue, or lack of love?

3. Who might be waiting on the other side of your obedience, like Henry was waiting on mine?

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🙏 Prayer

Lord, forgive me for the times I’ve run from Your call.

Give me courage to go where You send me — even when I don’t feel love yet.

Help me to see people the way You see them,

to move when You say “go,”

and to trust that Your mercy is waiting there before I ever arrive. Amen.

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🎵 Reflective Worship

Song: “Spirit Lead Me (Oceans)” — Hillsong UNITED

“Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders;

let me walk upon the waters wherever You would call me.

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander