Jonah 1:4-9 [NASB]
Jonah turned his back on God when called to preach to his national enemy. After ignoring it and wanting to sail away as far as possible, we learn how this man, chosen by God, experiences turmoil from his disobedience.
“However, the Lord hurled a great wind on the sea and there was a great storm on the sea, so that the ship was about to break up. Then the sailors became afraid and every man cried out to his god, and they hurled the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the stern of the ship, had lain down, and fallen sound asleep. So the captain approached him and said, ‘How is it that you are sleeping? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps your god will be concerned about us so that we will not perish.’
“And each man said to his mate, ‘Come, let’s cast lots so that we may find out on whose account this catastrophe has struck us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then they said to him, ‘Tell us, now! On whose account has this catastrophe struck us? What is your occupation, and where do you come from? What is your country, and from what people are you?’ So he said to them, ‘I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.’” Jonah 1:4-9 [NASB]
For the first time in the story, Jonah speaks. After casting lots, the shipmates see Jonah as their problem; they ask who he is and what’s happening. He tells them that he is a Hebrew and he fears the Lord.
Storms and Their Connection to Sin
God often uses the storms of life to act as a mercy and wake us up from our slumber, just like Jonah. Often, those storms are connected to sin. Jonah had made a great effort to flee from the presence of the Lord: to run away as far as he could from the Call of God. And the Lord sent a storm.
This should remind us that there are always consequences for our sins. Not every storm in your life is connected to sin, however, sometimes there’s a sin that has caused that storm.
Every time you feel the pain of the storm, it’s a pain intended to show God’s love to you. He wants to wake you up so you would draw near to Him.
The answer in this storm is for Jonah to repent.
Notice the contrast of Jonah versus the pagan sailors and how his hardened heart plays into the story.
The sailors are scared, throwing stuff overboard, willing to cry out to God even though they don’t know Him. They fear Him. What’s Jonah doing? He’s sleeping and reluctant to own up and repent to what has happened.
One of the most dangerous things that you can be in today’s society, and I see it like a plague, is apathy. Apathy is dangerous. It causes you to ignore reality, forcing you to sleep on the job, which is always dangerous. Unfortunately, Jonah is asleep on the job. His job is to preach repentance.
God Sends Storms to Wake You Up
Sadly, like many in our society today, Jonah didn’t wake up. The storm didn’t get his attention. Unfortunately, many in the global Church go through life among the storms and refuse to stop, see what God is trying to say, and repent from their sins.
As Christians, we need to wake up when we are not following the path God has set for us. The unbelieving world should not have cause to judge us.
The whole crew is now looking at Jonah. They want to know who his god is and why he is disobeying him. Even pagans see the gravity of the situation. It’s sad, but sometimes the unbelieving world is justified in judging us; the believer and us as the Church, everyone notices when we are wrong and when we are off mission. Jonah was wrong, and he was off mission, and sometimes we are too.
Historically, many Christians have followed the path of Jonah as a church, like those who supported slavery or the slaughter of Jews during WWII. The entire world sees the injustice, much like these sailors viewed Jonah for disobeying his god.
Jonah was so focused on running away from God that he forgot and neglected the commandments of God: to love God and love others.
Don’t let apathy blind you from your neighbors.
Jonah was unconcerned with the sailors’ burden. Unfortunately, the sailors in this story seem far more interested in preserving human life than he was. But praise God, we don’t fall under this accusation of ignoring the physical needs of our community very much.
Coggin Avenue Baptist Church is a beacon of light when ministering to our community– praise God for that. I see apathy replaced with empathy. I see disdain replaced with dignity. We love our neighbors. Praise God that I don’t see apathy blinding us to the physical needs of our community here at Coggin, but apathy is still a warning.
It’s something that can sneak upon us, and we must always guard against the apathy, and a solid Christian community like ours can often catch us sleeping on the community’s most significant need. The biggest need is not food, though we need to provide it. Its most crucial need is the Gospel.
Order Your Priorities
Jonah’s been running away the whole story, but he seems like he’s starting to get it right. But his answer is out of order, saying his nationality first and then who he serves.
Order your priorities properly because if you don’t, you’ll end up like Jonah, serving something or someone else when God should be first.
Ask yourself, am I reading God’s word? Am I spending time with him in prayer every day? If not, ask yourself this question: what am I giving my time to?
God should be your priority, then your spouse, your children, and your calling. The order matters.
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Unlike Jonah, when Jesus was found amid a storm one day with his disciples, he woke up and saved them. He can do the same for us. Turn to Jesus for help. He will wake you up and set you back on the right path.
Jesus is the answer. He died in your place. He rose from the dead and calmed the storm, and your life through repentance and faith will be saved. If you are in a slumber, ask Him to wake you.
