God's ways are amazing! I don't know if you have experienced a situation in your life, a situation that you thought you cannot get out. But when you lifted it up to God, you're just amazed that you were able to face it.
In reading Jonah 1:6, I have found another amazing way of God in dealing with Jonah's disobedience. The crews confronted Jonah because in the midst of their stormy situation he was down the ship and sleeping deeply. If we try to look at this situation, it seems that Jonah did not bother himself on what is happening outside. And it also shows how he deliberately ignored his sin of disobedience. Sleeping deeply in the midst of a storm is something else. It is like sleeping deeply while your father is shouting at you because of a work you did not fulfill.
But despite this, Jonah did not escape from God's confrontation. He used the captain and the crews of the ship to confront him. And what we see in this verse? "The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish” (Jonah 1:6).
Isn't it amazing to have a God who will not give you up until you will be transformed, and obey His will? The keywords are "not giving you up." Despite of who or what you are, God will not give you up when He predestined you to become His'. Romans 11:29 emphasizes that God's gift and calling are irrevocable. When God gives, He gives it.
Going back to the verse, God did not give up Jonah. He used the captain to confront Him of what he did against his God. The captain did not know what he did as indicated by the verse; but he said something that can put the sin back into Jonah's mind and heart. "Call on your God!" The captain has voiced this out to him. But how can he call on his God when he is hiding a sin? And in fact, he was running away from God! So, how can he call on Him?
But then again, God has a mysterious way of confronting us with our sins, i.e. using people and situation. By saying "call on your God," Jonah was reminded of what he has done against God. And through this, he understood that his disobedience has caused them trouble. And so, he has to face it.
In our life, we are like Jonah. We do things that displeased God, and in the midst of it, we simply ignore God's promptings in our hearts. But God will never give up on us. He will use situation and people so that we might be able to open our hearts and minds to the sin that we are holding on to our lives. These people don't know about what we have done. But they will say or do things that will bring us back to God, and face that sin. They will say or do things that will bring us down to our knees, and seek God's forgiveness. They will say or do things that will bring us to humility, and acknowledge that God is sovereign, and powerful. They will say or do things that will allow us see how great is His love for us. That is God's amazing ways!
I have several experiences about this. From the time I became a Christian until now, God has proven His unconditional love for me. He saved me from being a slave to sin again. He brought me out from a sinful bondage. And despite all the things that I did against Him, He continues to do this for me. HE NEVER GIVE UP ON ME! But sad to say, I suffer the consequences of my sins. And I don't want to experience them again!
Useful Links
Blessed are They Whose Inquity is Forgiven by John Calvin
Eight Steps to Biblical Forgiveness by Bill Fields
In reading Jonah 1:6, I have found another amazing way of God in dealing with Jonah's disobedience. The crews confronted Jonah because in the midst of their stormy situation he was down the ship and sleeping deeply. If we try to look at this situation, it seems that Jonah did not bother himself on what is happening outside. And it also shows how he deliberately ignored his sin of disobedience. Sleeping deeply in the midst of a storm is something else. It is like sleeping deeply while your father is shouting at you because of a work you did not fulfill.
But despite this, Jonah did not escape from God's confrontation. He used the captain and the crews of the ship to confront him. And what we see in this verse? "The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish” (Jonah 1:6).
Isn't it amazing to have a God who will not give you up until you will be transformed, and obey His will? The keywords are "not giving you up." Despite of who or what you are, God will not give you up when He predestined you to become His'. Romans 11:29 emphasizes that God's gift and calling are irrevocable. When God gives, He gives it.
Going back to the verse, God did not give up Jonah. He used the captain to confront Him of what he did against his God. The captain did not know what he did as indicated by the verse; but he said something that can put the sin back into Jonah's mind and heart. "Call on your God!" The captain has voiced this out to him. But how can he call on his God when he is hiding a sin? And in fact, he was running away from God! So, how can he call on Him?
But then again, God has a mysterious way of confronting us with our sins, i.e. using people and situation. By saying "call on your God," Jonah was reminded of what he has done against God. And through this, he understood that his disobedience has caused them trouble. And so, he has to face it.
In our life, we are like Jonah. We do things that displeased God, and in the midst of it, we simply ignore God's promptings in our hearts. But God will never give up on us. He will use situation and people so that we might be able to open our hearts and minds to the sin that we are holding on to our lives. These people don't know about what we have done. But they will say or do things that will bring us back to God, and face that sin. They will say or do things that will bring us down to our knees, and seek God's forgiveness. They will say or do things that will bring us to humility, and acknowledge that God is sovereign, and powerful. They will say or do things that will allow us see how great is His love for us. That is God's amazing ways!
I have several experiences about this. From the time I became a Christian until now, God has proven His unconditional love for me. He saved me from being a slave to sin again. He brought me out from a sinful bondage. And despite all the things that I did against Him, He continues to do this for me. HE NEVER GIVE UP ON ME! But sad to say, I suffer the consequences of my sins. And I don't want to experience them again!
Useful Links
Blessed are They Whose Inquity is Forgiven by John Calvin
Eight Steps to Biblical Forgiveness by Bill Fields
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