When we read the story of Jonah, we notice that he, too, was in a mighty storm. But Jonah’s spiritual storm was of his own making. He disobeyed God and ran away when God commanded him to go to Ninevah and preach the Gospel to wicked people, to give them a chance to repent. Jonah tried sailing to Tarshish by ship but “The Lord sent a great wind on the sea and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.” (Jonah 1:4) The sailors were so frightened that they asked Jonah to call out to his God to save them. The sailors asked Jonah what they should do with him, and Jonah replied that they needed to throw him overboard, which they did reluctantly. The instant Jonah was thrown into the sea, “the raging sea grew calm.” (V 15b)
Our God of the impossible saved Jonah and prepared a huge whale which swallowed Jonah as he landed in the sea. If Jonah had tried to swim to the nearest shore, he would have drowned as he would not have managed it without a safety life vest. In the belly of the whale, Jonah repented and prayed, “In my distress I called out to the Lord, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry.” (Jonah 1:2)
After three days God caused the whale to vomit Jonah onto the shore and Jonah then went to Ninevah to preach to the pagans.
What must the Lord do to get your or my attention? Sometimes He acts drastically to get us to listen to Him and obey Him. He might cause storms in our lives, but His motives are always done from a heart of deep, abiding love. Even though Jonah thought he was fleeing from God, God was still with him, like He is with you and with me – tenderly watching over us and “ALL our comings and goings.” (Psalm 121)
Ephesians 3:17b – 19 says, “…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the FULLNESS of God.”
When we are “filled” with Christ’s love and overflow with His gentle, merciful characteristics; then it is easy to deal with storms in our lives, because Christ-like love transforms us and enables us to have the assurance that NO matter what we go through, God will never leave us nor forsake us.
Loving blessed Redeemer, thank You that when storms of difficulties hit You, that You never quit or ran away, but You stood steady and firm in the face of hatred, persecution, mockery, injustice, agony and incredible pain. Your “storm” on the cross was the biggest storm any person could undergo, yet You bore it with loving compassion, strength and dignity for all our sakes. Please give us the strength to go through our hardships with Your grace, mercy and love, so that others can see we are victorious through You, and IN YOU alone. Amen
Myrtle Turunen