Jump Start # 922

Jonah 1:4-5 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.

Jonah and the whale—what a great lesson and a great story. What happened here really happened. This isn’t like Paul Bunyan—a make believe story. This isn’t allegory. This isn’t a parable. This isn’t a legend, myth or fairy tale. This really happened. Jesus placed his resurrection beside the truthfulness of Jonah being in the belly of the great fish for three days.

Many of us grew up hearing about this in Bible class. It was fascinating. How could anyone think the Bible is dull with Jonah being told? We must remember that the account of Jonah is not something just for the kids. This was given for adults. Jonah was the pouting prophet. He’s a preacher with an attitude. He was the most successful preacher who wanted to fail. His short sermon of repentance changed an entire city. They all responded, from the top down. He saved the city. The only problem is that Jonah wanted to fail. He wanted his words to fall upon deaf ears. He wanted no one to respond. His desire was for his audience to ignore him. I know no preacher that wants that.

The first chapter introduces us to a great wind and a great storm and a great fish. There is another great that is not named, but implied. There was a great problem. Jonah tried to run from God. He must have thought that if he got too far away that God couldn’t use him. It wouldn’t make sense to send someone that far away. Maybe God would have to find someone closer. Dumb idea. Didn’t work. You can’t fight God.

While on the sea, going away from God, the ship nearly sunk. The storm, the wind, the breaking up of the boat, scared these seasoned sailors. They threw cargo overboard and they threw prayers upward to their god.  Here is what is puzzling—Jonah the prophet of the one true God, is asleep in the bottom of the boat. The pagan sailors were praying.

Sometimes those who aren’t followers of God show up those who are. I’ve seen that happened before. The neighbors who never go to church bring more food and do more good to a family that has had a death, than the church members. I’ve seen people who never go to church give more money to a person who is down and out than church members. I’ve seen those who never to go church turn to prayer before the church members do.

The pagan sailors are praying as Jonah is sleeping. Something is really wrong with that picture. It ought to be Jonah who is leading the others in prayer. It ought to be Jonah who is first to turn to God. Instead he’s sleeping. Sleeping through a storm. Sleeping through a problem.

Jonah’s actions are the same that others take when storms are howling. They sleep or more accurately, deny and ignore that there are any problems. They won’t believe that their marriage is headed to the rapids. They deny that anything is wrong. They won’t admit that a child has a drug problem. They excuse things. They fault the schools for his failing grades. They claim he is picked on and harassed by the police. The truth is, they are asleep in the bottom of the boat.

The worst of all, is to be asleep while the storms are crashing our faith. It is interesting how many times the N.T. says to be alert or to wake up. After the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, Jesus said to be on the alert. When Peter described Satan as a roaring lion, he said be on the alert. The Thessalonians were told that they are of the day and not the night.

All around us assaults are made upon our faith. A little error…a little letting down the guard…a little closing the eyes…a little falling asleep at the post—and the next thing you know the city has been ransacked. Our faith has been assaulted and we didn’t even know it. We walked right into error and didn’t even recognize it. We find ourselves all tangled up spiritually, our faith twisted and turned inside out, and the storms making head wave upon our hearts.

Do you ever talk to the TV? I do. I do it so much it bothers my family. I especially talk during ballgames. The umps and refs need my help because they don’t see what I see. Do you ever talk to the Bible? I do that to. I read passages like this and I say, “Wake up, Jonah.”  What we need is for our own hearts to talk to us that way. Wake up, Roger. Get out of the bottom of the boat. It’s time to pray. It’s time to throw the cargo overboard. It’s time to save the ship.

We can learn from others, even those who are not Christians. There are things that they do right. There may be some things that they do better than we do. Are you in the bottom of the boat? It’s time to wake up and get topside. Things are happening all around you. Do you see them?

Roger