Jonah 1

and the word of the Lord came to Jonah... how many times has God spoken to you? and how many times have you ran in the opposite direction? isn't it amazing how we want God to be a 'gimme God' who we can receive from but maybe not have to ever give anything back... how many relationships work if only one person is the one that is giving? none.... relationships work if all parties are giving and receiving... what would make us think it would be any different between us and God?

God does not leave us alone, just because we didn't want to do what He called us to do. He will come after you... I would pray that it would not be a storm used to come after me... (I would so prefer the still small voice...) but it usually is some sort of storm... financial crisis, marital crisis, death of a loved one... and how many times do we try to sleep through it... and do you ever notice... it doesn't only affect you... it affects everyone else in your world too...

and Jonah tells them to throw him overboard... now that is a little different than most of us... most of us would hold on for dear life... and if we realize this... God is sending Jonah to Ninevah to warn of God's judgement.... instead... the sailors will die if they do not throw Jonah over... which they of course think will kill him... so... if we do not do the will of God, we die anyways... sheesh... that was a rough one... right?? originally, these sailors were calling out to their gods, but in the end, they call out to the Living God... so even our running from God can be used to bring people to God if He sees fit to do so... and God sends a great fish to swallow up Jonah... and he is inside the belly of the fish three days and three nights... (like the Son of man was in the depths of the earth three days and three nights...)