A pastor like Jonah,

A pastor like Amittai

"The word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai." (Jonah 1:1)

The meaning of the name "Jonah" is "dove", "insensitive, senseless".

 Jonah lived according to the meaning of his name.

He was a indiscreet prophet.

His mind had no sense of direction.

God called on Jonah to go to the great city "Nineveh" (v. 2)

but Jonah arose and free to the opposite direction of Nineveh (v. 3).

This indiscreet and insensitive Jonah disobeyed God's command.

Pastors like Jonah disobey God's commands.

Pastors like Jonah cannot discern God's will.

Pastors like Jonah do whatever they want.

 The name "Amittai," the father of Jonah, means "my truth, my faithfulness."

The Bible only tells us that "Amittai" is the father of Jonah

who was a prophet of Israel at the time of Jeroboam king of Israel

and he is from Gath Hepher (2 Kgs. 14:25, Jonah 1: 1).

But when I meditate on the book of Jonah,

I can see that God, who is a true father to Jonah who is indiscreet and insensitive,

is true “Amittai”(my truth, my faithfulness) to Jonah.

The Father God of Jonah sent a “great wind” and “great storm” to Jonah (Jonah 1:4)

when Jonah ran away from the Lord, went down to Joppa and went aboard and sailed for Tarshish (v. 3).  

The Creator God moved the nature in order to make disobedient Jonah to obey God's command. 

Not only that, God also prepared a "great fish" (v. 17) for Jonah when he was thrown into the sea (v. 15).

After that, God spoke to Jonah again,

"Arise, go to Nineveh, the great city, and proclaim to it the proclamation which I am going to tell you" (3:1-2)

so he obeyed God's command [(v. 3) “So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh according to the word of the LORD”].

A pastor like Amittai obeys the word of God.

A pastor like Amittai ‘Arise and go’ (v. 3) and ‘cry out’ (v. 4)

when God commands him to “Arise, go” and “cry” (1:2).

A pastor like Amittai manifests God’s truth and God’s faithfulness.