Perhaps one of the most famous biblical stories is the account of the prophet Jonah and his rebellion. Now rebellion against God is nothing out of the ordinary; neither in the Bible nor in everyday life. What makes this story so memorable is the particular way in which God decides to handle Jonah's rebellion. A divine slap on the wrist in the form of a bout of leprosy or a loss on one's stock portfolio would be expected. However, God, in His wisdom initiates Jonah into an aquatic discipline so unusual that it has captured the minds of school children, pastors and sailors across the ages.
We find Jonah, a messenger of God, tasked with a mission which is not to his taste. Thus far he's exactly like us and we might look to his example to avoid making similar mistakes. We to are messengers of God, and our tasks are often distasteful. "Love your enemy", "...be rid of all evil behavior...", "..be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect...", are all specific commands of God, applicable to all people, in all times and are not easy. So, like Jonah we often run away.
Jonah runs in a geographical sense by boarding a ship bound for the ends of the earth. He pays his fair and tries to sleep away his guilt. Awakened from that complacent repose by a storm so powerful it threatens to consume him, and a whole boat load of people besides. Be warned you sinner, who fancies that your entertainment of evil will only hurt yourself. Since when has evil been under your thumb? Who but God Almighty can say to the darkness, "thus far you shall come but no further." Assuredly evil attacks hurts and destroys not only the perpetrators but anyone else who happens to be close by. Though you embark on a journey to the ends of the earth, the age old adage proves true, "your sin will find you out."
In repentance Jonah acknowledge his guilt before the mariners and bids them throw him to the storm that it might be appeased. Before consenting to this, the brave mariners try every effort to save themselves, along with Jonah. How true today is this parable? Though we acknowledge the evil around us, we refuse God's medicine and replace divine aid with human placebos. We pour money, time, good intentions into the black holes that plague society when the answers were to be found, not in gold, guns and positivity but in godliness. After the men rowed hard to save Jonah from destiny, they gave up, and Jonah was thrown to the sea. In an instant peace was restored. It didn't matter how far Jonah ran, how much he tried to save himself, it only took the submission to God's will to calm the storm. And now we leave Jonah, afloat in a peaceful ocean and will return to him another time.
Consider well and be glad we have a God who is not limited by time, space, or power. The storms that rage in our world are as nothing to Him for in an instant He bids the waves and winds be still. Let us have faith and await the salvation of the Lord.
We find Jonah, a messenger of God, tasked with a mission which is not to his taste. Thus far he's exactly like us and we might look to his example to avoid making similar mistakes. We to are messengers of God, and our tasks are often distasteful. "Love your enemy", "...be rid of all evil behavior...", "..be perfect as your heavenly father is perfect...", are all specific commands of God, applicable to all people, in all times and are not easy. So, like Jonah we often run away.
Jonah runs in a geographical sense by boarding a ship bound for the ends of the earth. He pays his fair and tries to sleep away his guilt. Awakened from that complacent repose by a storm so powerful it threatens to consume him, and a whole boat load of people besides. Be warned you sinner, who fancies that your entertainment of evil will only hurt yourself. Since when has evil been under your thumb? Who but God Almighty can say to the darkness, "thus far you shall come but no further." Assuredly evil attacks hurts and destroys not only the perpetrators but anyone else who happens to be close by. Though you embark on a journey to the ends of the earth, the age old adage proves true, "your sin will find you out."
In repentance Jonah acknowledge his guilt before the mariners and bids them throw him to the storm that it might be appeased. Before consenting to this, the brave mariners try every effort to save themselves, along with Jonah. How true today is this parable? Though we acknowledge the evil around us, we refuse God's medicine and replace divine aid with human placebos. We pour money, time, good intentions into the black holes that plague society when the answers were to be found, not in gold, guns and positivity but in godliness. After the men rowed hard to save Jonah from destiny, they gave up, and Jonah was thrown to the sea. In an instant peace was restored. It didn't matter how far Jonah ran, how much he tried to save himself, it only took the submission to God's will to calm the storm. And now we leave Jonah, afloat in a peaceful ocean and will return to him another time.
Consider well and be glad we have a God who is not limited by time, space, or power. The storms that rage in our world are as nothing to Him for in an instant He bids the waves and winds be still. Let us have faith and await the salvation of the Lord.
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