Jonah Paid For His Own Troubles

Have you ever bought something that you know you paid more than you bargained for? Jonah had been instructed by God to go to Nineveh; instead he buys a ticket on a ship to Tarshish. He never dreamed his purchase would cost him so much.

On his journey, the sea becomes extremely violent. All the men quickly realized they were in trouble. They began throwing cargo overboard to save the ship and their lives. Jonah knew he had made a bad choice. He knows that God has His all seeing eye upon him. You can run thousands of miles in the wrong direction but God still knows right where you are.

Things quickly went from bad to worse. When we’re out of the will of God, things usually do get worse before they get better. Jonah reveals to the men on the ship, "Cast me overboard and the sea will calm down." Sure enough, just like Jonah declared, the seas came to a calm when they threw him overboard.

It's the love and mercies of God that will come chasing after each of us when we're heading in the wrong direction. Have you ever seen someone driving down a one-way street the wrong way? Everyone is honking their horns at them and they're wondering why people are being so mean to them.

God was doing more than honking His horn at Jonah. He sends a wind and then a whale to turn this disobedient servant around. God has given Jonah an assignment and He isn't taking his actions lightly. After spending three days and nights in the belly of a whale, Jonah has an awakening. It wasn't until now that he comes to realize the best thing for him at this point is to do it just like the Heavenly Father had asked him to.

God in His mercy causes the whale to spit him up on the shoreline. Now, Jonah chooses to travel back the mileage that he's gone in the wrong direction and to move on to the place called Nineveh where God called him in the beginning.  His obedience would see 120,000 people saved. He realizes that his own prejudices and feelings against Nineveh are wrong and that God loves people regardless.

Are YOU pursuing God's will and direction for YOUR life? Have you chosen to do it GOD'S way, or have you allowed your head to get in the way of the heart of God? One of the greatest portions of peace you will ever find in life is to do things God's way. Choose today, friend to do it just like God directs, and you'll never regret it.

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