Jonah was possibly frightened, definitely prejudiced (against the Assyrian Gentiles), selfish and all in all not someone you would consider an agent of God, especially when pulled out of his comfort zone. He may have been a prophet to the northern kingdoms of Israel, but he was a miserable example of a Godly man when the going got tough. He was more concerned about his own will rather than God's will.
Despite this, God used this lowly self-centered, runaway prophet to spread His word to a multitude (like 600,000) of pagan worshiping Assyrians. And they listened too!
God can use anyone to accomplish his will. If he wants to use you to reach the lost, He can go ahead of you and prepare the way, just as He did in Jonah's case - having Jonah be swallowed by a great fish just before he was to preach to a nation who were fish-god worshipers. Brilliant!
If God asks you to go, go.....wherever......across the street, across the nation or across the ocean. Save yourself the trouble of ending up in the belly of a fish and just go. If God would prepare a way for Jonah, the runaway prophet, He will prepare a way for you. As Jonah learned, you can run from God, but you cannot hide.
Say yes, pray and just go.
And here's a silly, little limerick that popped in my head, all except for the last line.
There once was a prophet named Jonah
Who when God said to go said "I ain't gonah"
Time spent in a fish
Helped him follow God's wish
Ta da da da, da da da da onah ----- (this is your line to complete.)
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