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Running from Mercy: Jonah's Reluctant Journey

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Introduction to Jonah's Story

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Welcome to the God Chaser podcast , where we pursue the heart of God and explore the depths of His wisdom .

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I'm your host , evan Evans .

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Last week we explored Joel's powerful message about God restoring what the locusts have eaten in our lives . Today we're diving into Jonah , a story many of us think we know , but one that goes so much deeper than a man and a big fish . Beyond the Sunday school flannel board version lies a profound story about running from God , wrestling with his mercy toward our enemies , and finding resurrection hope in our darkest places . In this episode , we'll explore who were the Ninevites and why did Jonah really run from God's call , what it feels like to be in your own fish's belly and how God hears from the depths , how Jonah's three days in darkness pointed to Jesus' death and resurrection , why Jonah was angry at God's mercy and what that reveals about our own hearts , what God's concern for wicked Nineveh shows us about his heart for all people . Whether you're running from something God has clearly asked you to do , sitting in a dark place that feels like death , struggling with God's grace toward those who've hurt you , or needing a second chance after failure , jonah's story speaks directly to our most honest human struggles .

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Welcome to the God Chaser podcast , the ultimate destination for those yearning to cultivate a passionate , intimate relationship with God . Join your host , Evan Evans , as he explores the depths of Scripture , shares inspiring testimonies and provides practical guidance to help you become a true God Chaser . And provides practical guidance to help you become a true God Chaser , Discover the transformative power of pursuing God's presence and be inspired to reignite your spiritual journey . Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts and get ready to embark on an adventure that will change your life forever . Welcome to the God Chaser Podcast . Let the chase begin .

Understanding Nineveh and Jonah's Flight

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Last week we explored Joel's powerful message about restoration , how God can restore what the locusts have eaten in our lives . Today we're diving into Jonah . You know I've been thinking about this story all week and I keep coming back to one question who are your Ninevites ? That might seem like a strange way to start , but hang with me . By the end of this episode that question might hit you right in the heart , as it has me .

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We all know the basic outline of Jonah's story . God calls him to preach to Nineveh . He runs away . Big fish swallows him . Three days later the fish spits him out . He preaches Nineveh , repents Sunday school , 101 , right . But there's so much more going on here .

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This isn't just an ancient tale about a reluctant prophet . It's a story about us , about running from God , about prejudice , about mercy we don't want others to receive . Let's start at the beginning . Chapter 1 , verse 1 , tells us the word of the Lord came to Jonah , son of Amittai . Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it , because its wickedness has come up before me .

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Now , to really understand this story , we need to grasp who Jonah was and what Nineveh represented . Jonah wasn't just some random guy . He's actually mentioned in 2 Kings 14 , verse 25 , as a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II , around 786 to 746 BC . He was from Gath-Hefer in Galilee , the same region Jesus would later come from . And Nineveh , this wasn't just any foreign city . This was the capital of Assyria , israel's most feared and hated enemy . I can't overstate how much the Israelites despised the Assyrians . These people were known for unimaginable cruelty in warfare . They would skin their enemies alive . These people were known for unimaginable cruelty in warfare . They would skin their enemies alive . They'd impale people on stakes outside city walls . They'd build pyramids of human heads as monuments to their conquests . Imagine the worst terrorist group you can think of , the kind that posts beheading videos online . That's how Israelites viewed Assyrians . So when God tells Jonah go to Nineveh , it's like telling a Jewish Holocaust survivor to go preach to Nazi Germany , or telling someone who lost family on September 11th to go minister to Al-Qaeda leaders .

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Have you ever been asked to do something that made your stomach not up , something that went against every natural inclination you had ? That's where Jonah stood . His response is so honest it hurts . Verse 3 says but Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish . He doesn't negotiate with God . He doesn't offer excuses . He just runs in the exact opposite direction . Nineveh was east , tarshish was as far west as ships could sail in those days .

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I had a moment like this several years ago . God was clearly calling me to reconcile with someone who had deeply hurt me . Every time I prayed , every scripture I read , every sermon I heard seemed to point in the same direction . But I didn't want to do it . I didn't think they deserved forgiveness . So I ran , not physically , but emotionally and spiritually . I filled my schedule with busyness . I avoided quiet times with God . I ran .

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So Jonah boards a ship , he pays the fare , he's all

The Storm of God's Pursuit

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in on his escape plan . But then verse 4 tells us the Lord sent a great wind on the sea and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up . Notice , this wasn't punishment , it was pursuit . God loved Jonah too much to let him run . Think about that . The storm wasn't God's anger , it was his love . Sometimes the storms in our lives aren't punishments . They're God pursuing us , loving us too much to let us keep running . The sailors are terrified . They're throwing cargo overboard . They're crying out to their gods .

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And where's Jonah ? Verse 5 tells us he had gone below deck , where he laid down and fell into a deep sleep . That detail always gets me . Who sleeps through a life-threatening storm ? Someone who's emotionally exhausted from running from God ? Someone who's so done ? They just want to check out . I've been there . Maybe you have too so spiritually and emotionally spent that you just want to pull the covers over your head and sleep , even while life's storms rage around you .

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The captain finds Jonah and says something that should sound familiar to anyone who's ever tried to escape God's call . How can you sleep ? Get up and call on your God . Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish Verse 6 . When the lots are cast to find who's responsible , the lot fell on Jonah Verse 7 .

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The sailors ask him a series of questions and his answer tells us something important about the human heart Verse 9 . I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord , the God of heaven , who made the sea and the land . Isn't that interesting ? Even while running from God , jonah acknowledges him as the true God . Even in our rebellion , we often still know the truth . I think of Paul's words in Romans , chapter 7 , verse 15 , I do not understand what I do , for what I want to do , I do not do , but what I hate I do . The sailor's next question cuts to the heart . What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us ? Verse 11 . Jonah's response is astonishing Pick me up and throw me into the sea and it will become calm . I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you . Verse 12 .

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This is our first glimpse of Jesus in this story . Jonah willingly offers his life to save the sailors , men who don't even share his faith . This pictures Christ , who gave his life to save us . As Jesus said in John chapter 15 , verse 13 , greater love has no one than this to lay down one's life for one's friends . The sailors don't want to do it . They try everything else first , they row harder , they pray to Jonah's God , but finally they do as he asked and immediately the raging sea grew calm . Verse 15 . Look at what happens next in verse 16 . At this , the men greatly feared the Lord and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him . These pagan sailors came to faith through Jonah's sacrifice . This pictures how people from every nation come to faith through Jesus' sacrifice . As Jesus would later say in John chapter 12 , verse 32 , when I am lifted up from the earth . I will draw all people to myself .

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Now comes the part of the story we all know . The Lord provided a huge fish to swallow Jonah , and Jonah was in the belly of the fish

Three Days in the Fish

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three days and three nights Verse 17 . Jesus directly connects this to himself in Matthew , chapter 12 , verses 39 to 40 . As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish , so the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish . So the Son of man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth . Jesus sees Jonah's experience as a prophetic picture of his own death and resurrection . Both were buried , spent three days in darkness and were restored to life by God's power , but with this crucial difference Jonah was in the fish because of his disobedience . Jesus went to the cross because of his perfect obedience . As Romans chapter 5 , verse 19 , puts it through the obedience of the one man , the many will be made righteous .

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What happens inside that fish ? Jonah prays , and his prayer in chapter 2 is raw and real . In my distress I called to the Lord and he answered me . From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help and you listened to my cry Verse 2 . Jonah felt like he was dying or already dead . His language is vivid . The engulfing waters threatened me , the deep surrounded me , seaweed was wrapped around my head To the roots of the mountains . I sank down , the earth beneath barred me in forever .

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Verses 5 to 6 . I've talked with so many of you who've been in that place where it feels like you're drowning in your circumstances , where you've sunk so low you can't imagine coming back up , where you're trapped with no way out . It's a place many of us have been . But notice what Jonah says next . But you , lord , my God , brought my life up from the pit Verse 6 . Even from the depths , god hears us . Even from what feels like death , god can bring life . As David wrote about the coming Messiah in Psalm 16 , verse 10, . You will not abandon me to the realm of the dead . Jonah's prayer ends with these powerful words salvation comes from the Lord , verse 9 . The Hebrew word for salvation here is Yeshua , the very name of Jesus . Even in the fish's belly , jonah proclaims a truth that points directly to Christ . After three days , the Lord commanded the fish and it vomited Jonah onto dry land verse 10 . Not the most dignified exit . But Jonah wasn't exactly in a position to be picky .

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Chapter 3 begins with a fresh start . Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time verse 1 . I can't tell you how much hope that verse has given me over the years . God gives second chances . After all Jonah's running and resistance , god still has a plan for him . As Peter would experience after denying Jesus three times , god restores and recommissions even those who've failed him . The command is the same Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you . Verse 2 . This time Jonah goes . He walks into this massive city so large it would take three days to walk through it and delivers about the shortest sermon ever recorded . Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown .

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Verse 4 . Eight Hebrew words , no grace offered , no mercy mentioned , no call to repentance , just judgment . It's as if Jonah is hoping they won't repent . 40 days and you're toast . Message delivered , duty done .

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But something astonishing happens . The Ninevites believed God . A fast was proclaimed and all of them , from the greatest to the least

Nineveh's Unexpected Repentance

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, put on sackcloth Verse 5 . Even the king gets involved , covering himself with sackcloth , sitting in ashes and issuing a decree that everyone should call on God , give up their evil ways and hope for mercy . Their repentance is genuine . It includes belief . They believed God , physical humility , fasting , sackcloth , prayer , calling urgently on God , changed behavior , giving up evil ways . And it works . Verse 10 tells us when God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways , he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened .

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Jesus would later point to this as an indictment against his own generation . The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it , for they repented at the preaching of Jonah . And now something greater than Jonah is here Matthew , chapter 12 , verse 41 . Think about that . These brutal Assyrians repented at Jonah's reluctant eight-word sermon , yet many refused to repent at Jesus's full message of grace .

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I've often wondered about this . What made the Ninevites so responsive ? Maybe they'd heard about the Hebrew God's power from traitors ? Maybe they'd been experiencing their own crises that softened their hearts ? Or maybe Jonah himself was a sign . Some ancient sources suggest his skin might have been bleached from the fish's digestive acids , making him a walking visual of what happens when you disobey God . Whatever the reason , their response challenges us . If Nineveh could repent , what's our excuse ?

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Now comes the most shocking part of the story

Jonah's Anger at God's Mercy

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. Most children's versions end with chapter 3 . Jonah preaches , nineveh repents , happy ending . But there's a chapter 4 and it's a doozy . But to Jonah this seemed very wrong and he became angry .

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Verse 1 . Let that sink in . Jonah is angry that God showed mercy . He's upset that Nineveh repented and was spared . Can you imagine ? This reveals Jonah's true motivation for running in the first place , which he admits in verse 2 . Isn't this what I said , lord , when I was still at home ? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish . I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God , slow to anger and abounding in love , a God who relents from sending calamity . There it is . Jonah didn't run because he was afraid of the Ninevites . He ran because he was afraid God would forgive them . He wanted them destroyed , not delivered . He desired their judgment , not their salvation .

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This is where the story gets painfully personal for me , and maybe for you too . If we're honest , we've all felt this way at times . We want God's mercy for ourselves and those we love , but his judgment for those who've hurt us or represent what we oppose . We all have our Ninevites , people we struggle to want God's best for Jonah's attitude contrasts sharply with Jesus who prayed for his executioners Father , forgive them , for they do not know what they are doing . Luke , chapter 23 , verse 34 . Jonah was so upset he said Now , lord , take away my life , for it is better for me to die than to live , verse 3 . Think about how twisted this is . Jonah would rather die than see his enemies receive mercy . That's how deeply hatred had poisoned his heart .

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God gently asks Is it right for you to be angry ? Verse 4 . I love this response . God doesn't lecture Jonah . He asks a question that invites self-reflection . It reminds me of how Jesus often responded with questions that made people examine their own hearts . Jonah doesn't answer . He stomps out of the city , makes himself a shelter and sits down to see what will happen . It seems he's still hoping God will destroy Nineveh after all .

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What follows is one of Scripture's most beautiful object lessons . God causes a leafy plant to grow up over Jonah , giving him shade to ease his discomfort , and Jonah was very happy about the plant Verse 6 . But the next day God sends a worm to chew the plant so it withers . Then he sends a scorching east wind and blazing sun that makes Jonah so uncomfortable . He again says he wants to die . When God asks is it right for you to be angry about the plant ? Jonah insists it is . I am angry enough to die verse 9 .

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Then comes God's powerful lesson . You have been concerned about this plant , though you did not tend it or make it grow . It sprang up overnight and died overnight . And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh , in which there are more than 120,000 people who cannot tell their right hand from their left , and also many animals ? Verses 10 to 11 .

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The contrast is striking . Jonah cared about a plant . God cared about people . Jonah was concerned for his comfort . God was concerned for souls . Jonah valued a temporary plant . God valued eternal beings . I've found myself in Jonah's shoes more times than I'd like to admit , caring more about my own comfort than others' salvation more concerned with being right than seeing people redeemed . And that's where the book ends . We never find out if Jonah's heart changed . Did he embrace God's mercy toward his enemies or remain bitter ? The open ending invites us to examine our own hearts . Will we align with God's heart of mercy or cling to our prejudices ?

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Now let me pull together the many ways Jonah's story reveals Jesus . First , jesus himself identifies with Jonah . In Matthew , chapter 12 , verses 39 to 40 , he connects Jonah's three days in the fish to his own death and resurrection . As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish , so the Son of man will be three days and three nights . This is more than a passing reference . Jesus sees Jonah's experience as a prophetic picture of his own death and resurrection . Both were buried in darkness . Fish's belly tomb Spent three days in their grave , were restored to life by God's direct intervention , emerged to complete their mission .

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Second , jonah's sacrifice for the sailors pictures Christ's sacrifice for us . When Jonah says , pick me up and throw me into the sea , he's willingly offering his life to save others . Jesus said greater 15 , verse 13 . The sailors' response pictures how people from every nation come to faith through

How Jonah Points to Jesus

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Jesus' sacrifice . They were pagan men who ended up worshiping the true God because of Jonah's willingness to die for them .

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Third , jonah's message to Nineveh and their repentance points to Jesus' ministry . Jesus himself makes this connection in Matthew , chapter 12 , verse 41 . The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it , for they repented at the preaching of Jonah . And now something greater than Jonah is here . The Ninevites' repentance included exactly what Jesus would later preach genuine belief , changed behavior and hope in God's mercy . Fourth , god's pursuit of Jonah pictures Jesus' mission to seek and save the lost . The storm wasn't punishment , it was pursuit . God loved Jonah too much to let him run away . Jesus said For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost . Luke , chapter 19 , verse 10 . Fifth , god's mercy toward Nineveh reveals the same heart Jesus demonstrated toward all people , even enemies . When Jesus told us to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you Matthew 5 , verse 44 , he was expressing the same heart God showed toward Nineveh .

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But Jonah also contrasts with Jesus in ways that highlight Christ's perfection . Jonah ran from God's call . Jesus embraced the Father's will , saying Not my will , but yours be done . Luke , chapter 22 , verse 42 . Jonah resented God's mercy to enemies . Jesus prayed for his enemies' forgiveness . Jonah preached reluctantly and briefly . Jesus preached passionately and extensively . Jonah cared more about personal comfort than people's souls . Jesus sacrificed all comfort to save souls . These contrasts highlight Jesus' perfect obedience and love where Jonah and we fall short .

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So what does Jonah's story mean for our lives today

Applications for Our Lives Today

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? First , for those running from God's call Some of you , like Jonah , are fleeing something God has clearly asked you to do . Maybe it's forgiving someone who deeply hurt you , having a difficult conversation with a family member Serving in a ministry that feels beyond your abilities , taking a stand that might cost you relationships , loving someone who seems unlovable . Jonah's story tells us God will pursue you because he loves you . The storm , the fish these weren't just punishment . They were divine pursuit . You can't outrun God's love . I think of a woman I counseled years ago . She knew God was calling her to reconcile with her estranged father before he died . For months she ignored the promptings . Then her car broke down in front of his exit on the highway , miles from where she was heading . It was my fish moment , she told me later . I knew God wasn't going to let me run anymore .

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Second , for those in a dark place that feels like death . Maybe you're experiencing a depression that won't lift , a grief that feels overwhelming , a failure that seems final , a addiction you can't break , a situation with no visible way out . Remember God heard Jonah's prayer from the depths . He still hears yours and just as he brought Jonah out of the fish and Jesus out of the tomb , he can bring you out of your darkness . I think of my friend Mark , who lost his business , his marriage and nearly his life to alcoholism . I hit my fish's belly . He told me three days in detox wondering if I would live or die . But that's where I finally cried out to God from the depths and that's where he heard me . Today , mark is 15 years , sober , remarried and running a ministry to addicts from fish belly to new life .

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Third , for those who've received a second chance , like Jonah maybe you failed in your first assignment , ran from your responsibilities , disobeyed clear direction , needed divine intervention to get back on track . God gave Jonah a fresh commission after his failure and he offers the same to you as Lamentations . Chapter 3 , verses 22 to 23 , promises because of the Lord's great love , we are not consumed , for his compassions never fail . They are new every morning . I think of Peter , who denied Jesus three times . By all rights . His story should have ended there . A failed disciple who couldn't stand the pressure , but Jesus specifically sought him out after the resurrection and restored him to ministry . Second chances are God's specialty .

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Fourth , for those struggling with God's mercy toward enemies Like Jonah some of you find it hard to accept when people who have hurt you , opposed you or represent what you stand against . Experience God's grace . Jesus taught us to love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you . Matthew , chapter 5 , verse 44 . This doesn't mean excusing wrong or ignoring justice . It means wanting even our enemies to experience the grace we've received .

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I think of Corrie ten Boom , who faced one of her Nazi concentration camp guards years after the war . He had become a Christian and asked for her forgiveness . She said her hand felt like lead as she struggled to extend it to him . Jesus , help me . She prayed silently . I can lift my hand , I can do that much . As she took his hand , she said love flooded her heart . That's what happens when we take even a small step toward aligning with God's heart of mercy .

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Fifth , for those whose ministry hasn't turned out as expected perhaps you've preached without seeing the response you hoped for , served without seeing the results you anticipated , prayed without seeing the change you desired , invested in people who haven't valued your investment . Remember Jonah delivered just eight reluctant words , yet an entire city repented . God can work through even our most half-hearted efforts . As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3 , verse 7 , is anything but only God who makes things grow . Next week we'll explore the prophet Amos and see how his call for justice reveals Jesus .

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But today , remember what Jonah teaches us about Christ . He is the resurrection

Closing and Next Episode Preview

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hope who brings life from the darkest places . He is the willing sacrifice who gives his life to save others . He is the one from the darkest places . He is the willing sacrifice who gives his life to save others . He is the universal Savior whose message reaches all people . He is the pursuing God who won't let us run from his love . He is the merciful Lord who extends grace beyond our boundaries . This is Evan Evans , reminding you to keep chasing God's heart Until next time . Remember if you're running from God's call , he loves you too much to let you go and if , like me , you sometimes struggle to accept his mercy toward others , he's patient enough to teach us his heart . This has been the God Chaser podcast . Join us next week as we continue finding Jesus in every story of the Bible . This episode of the God Chaser podcast is proudly sponsored by God Chaser Apparel , the clothing line designed to empower and inspire your spiritual journey .

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May you not just chase God but find him in the blessings , big and small , that he has in store for you . And there we have it , folks . Another episode of God Chaser wrapped up . We hope you've been blessed by today's discussion and we look forward to diving into more life-transforming topics with you in the future . Stay blessed and keep chasing after God .