Date: Thursday, 23rd November, 2023
Text: Jonah 1: 1-20
Author: Pastor Adedeji Fadehan
Exhortation:
Yesterday, we affirmed that storms can either come from God or the devil. In Mark 4:35-41, Jesus rose up, rebuked the storm and reproved his disciples for not demonstrating faith in taking charge of the boisterous windstorm.
In today’s text, God sent prophet Jonah to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness had gone up to Heaven. But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up- Jonah 1:2-4.
Every physical effort by the sailors to get the situation under control proved abortive as the storm raged rougher and wilder.
Do you think the storm would have obeyed if Jonah had risen up from his sleep to rebuke it? Of course, no, because it was raging in obedience to God, while Jonah was acting in disobedience.
The storm was sent by God Himself as a judgement to punish Jonah for his act of rebellion. Such storms cannot be rebuked or stilled except the sinner returns back to the path of righteousness.
As the sea was getting rougher and rougher, the sailors asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” Jonah replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” Jonah 1:11-12.
There are some storms that do not respond to prayers but to acts of obedience. Immediately Jonah was cast into sea, the storms ceased.
Are you experiencing raging storms and you have prayed but things seem to even get worse? You need to look inwards, repent and return to the path of obedience; and the storm will cease in Jesus name.
Reflective Nugget: Storms will only obey you if you live in obedience to the Controller of storms.