You Can Run but You Can’t Hide

“You can run but you can’t hide” was a saying supposedly given by boxing great Joe Lewis in the 1940’s right before a boxing match.

I admit there have been times in my life when I wanted to run. Yes, run for the hills. It’s our reaction to fear, defeat, sorrow, humiliation and I’m sure you can name something else!

What do we run to? Many run to food, to drink, to a new love, shopping, isolation, complaining…Anything other than facing what caused us to run in the first place. 

Jonah was a person who understood this. He knew what God wanted him to do! But he gets on the first boat out of town and tries to hide. But here’s the thing, you CAN’T run from God!

You would think this would be evident to us all. It’s been going on since the beginning of time. Adam and Eve hiding in the garden. Moses runs from Egypt. David tries to cover up his sin. But, in all these cases God intervenes. There are consequences when we run, especially from God. 

Christ pleads with the early church in the Sermon on the Mount to remember where to run when we want to hide.

Matthew 6:32-33 “Do not worry about your physical well-being. People who don’t know any better run after all the things they want, but your Heavenly Father knows your needs. Run for his kingdom and his righteousness then everything that you need will be taken care of.”

Don’t run for the hills! Run to Him!