The God Who is Concerned
“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 to his god, and they threw the cargo which was in the ship into the sea to lighten it for them. But Jonah had gone below into the hold of the ship, 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.'” Jonah 1:4-6.
Last post, we found a reluctant prophet fleeing from the presence of God (as if that was really possible!). Now this same prophet is sound asleep in the middle of a God-hurled storm. Meanwhile, up above him the captain and every sailor on the ship are doing all they can to survive, including each of them calling on their god.
God will wake you up
The captain of the ship, being responsible for the cargo and the safety of all aboard, suddenly realizes that someone is missing. It’s the man from Galilee, none other than the prophet Jonah. (Here’s an interesting aside - The critics of Jesus proclaimed, “Search the scriptures, no prophet ever came from Galilee!” Actually they were totally wrong, for not only Jonah, but both Hosea and Nahum, and both Elijah and Elisha were from the Galilean district!)
The captain wakes Jonah up and tells him to call on his God. Cheer up, you who might be a sometimes reluctant servant. The Lord loves you, and in His faithfulness will always send someone sooner or later to wake you up. Hey, it might even be a God hurled storm.
Another thought just occurred. Remember when the disciples faced a wind-howling, wave-swamping storm? What was Jesus doing? Was not He asleep on with His head on a cushion, for like Jonah, Jesus was and is the One Who served the God of the land and the sea. (See Mark 4:38.)
Never forget God's concern for the unsaved
And here is the captain’s wake up call to Jonah. “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.'”
What an interesting thing to say, as Jonah is fleeing God’s presence because the very One he serves is concerned for the whole city of Nineveh!
Is not there a scripture that declares, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”? And also, does not the Book of Acts declare that God gives the Holy Spirit to those that obey Him? Please never forget the Father’s concern.
Just like those who knelt in awe, worship and obedience to the newborn King, take a moment and bow your head and heart to serve Him Who “cares for you.”
Blessings and prayers,
Pastor Gene
Last post, we found a reluctant prophet fleeing from the presence of God (as if that was really possible!). Now this same prophet is sound asleep in the middle of a God-hurled storm. Meanwhile, up above him the captain and every sailor on the ship are doing all they can to survive, including each of them calling on their god.
God will wake you up
The captain of the ship, being responsible for the cargo and the safety of all aboard, suddenly realizes that someone is missing. It’s the man from Galilee, none other than the prophet Jonah. (Here’s an interesting aside - The critics of Jesus proclaimed, “Search the scriptures, no prophet ever came from Galilee!” Actually they were totally wrong, for not only Jonah, but both Hosea and Nahum, and both Elijah and Elisha were from the Galilean district!)
The captain wakes Jonah up and tells him to call on his God. Cheer up, you who might be a sometimes reluctant servant. The Lord loves you, and in His faithfulness will always send someone sooner or later to wake you up. Hey, it might even be a God hurled storm.
Another thought just occurred. Remember when the disciples faced a wind-howling, wave-swamping storm? What was Jesus doing? Was not He asleep on with His head on a cushion, for like Jonah, Jesus was and is the One Who served the God of the land and the sea. (See Mark 4:38.)
Never forget God's concern for the unsaved
And here is the captain’s wake up call to Jonah. “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.'”
What an interesting thing to say, as Jonah is fleeing God’s presence because the very One he serves is concerned for the whole city of Nineveh!
Is not there a scripture that declares, “Obedience is better than sacrifice”? And also, does not the Book of Acts declare that God gives the Holy Spirit to those that obey Him? Please never forget the Father’s concern.
Just like those who knelt in awe, worship and obedience to the newborn King, take a moment and bow your head and heart to serve Him Who “cares for you.”
Blessings and prayers,
Pastor Gene
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2 Comments
Thank you Pastor Gene for your teaching and your heart for God.
Thank you for your heart to teach Pastor Gene!