A Prepared Walk

By Pastor Peter Linnecar

The foundation that God has made will result in things being done for his glory. This short story in the Old Testament about Jonah has so much in it that it could be placed in the New Testament. It's all to do with the power of God that can change a life. God's heart is for you and for me to come and be reconciled to him. There needs to be a change in an individual. It could be that you're in a Christian country, but you wouldn't say you were a Christian. You may have postponed your dealing with God. There are elements in this story that are completely relevant to you and me right now.

Jonah 1:1-3 (show/hide)

1 Now the word of the LORD came unto 2 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it, for their wickedness is come up before me.

3 But so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

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Nineveh was an evil place. I'm not sure what the modern equivalent would be, but I suppose it was the red light district of any major city. It was also the capital city of Assyria, the enemy of Israel. Jonah knew that God was asking him to go to the very place where he thought the people needed the judgment of God. In his heart, as far as Nineveh was concerned, they were going to get what they deserved under the law, and there was no way they were going to change. When God told him to go to Nineveh, he could not bring himself to do what God said.

It's imperative that we are open to who God wants to reach in his mercy and love. We must not write anybody off. As far as Jonah ws concerned, in his heart there was prejudice, racism, everything against the people of Nineveh. In this book we can see something of God's heart and how he views people.

Isaiah 42:1-10 (show/hide)

1 Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

4 He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

6 I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

9 Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

10 Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein; the isles, and the inhabitants thereof.

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It wasn't just the Jewish nation, it was the Gentiles as well. He has a heart of love for mankind. He doesn't want us to be going nowhere, or to be gripped with sin inside. What God wants us to look at is something which will release you inside to be the person God wants you to be.

When Jonah was told to go to Nineveh, he knew that God's heart was to speak to the people of Nineveh, and he could not cope with it. It says that he went from the presence of the Lord; that's not a good thing to do. God sovereignly intervenes in people's lives. Jonah would rather have been a nobody in Tarshish than someone in God's ministry in Nineveh.

Do you know what God has spoken to you about? Are you pushing him away? Would you rather be a nobody?

Jonah 1:4-6 (show/hide)

4 But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

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Jonah thought that by going in the opposite way to God wanted, he could flee God's presence. What he didn't realise was that God by his spirit had spoken inside him, and he was taking that voice with him. It's not possible to hide from God, because his love is greater than you.

Psalm 89:9 (show/hide)

9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.

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Matthew 8:23-27 (show/hide)

23 And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

24 And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

25 And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

27 But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

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God controls everything. He has the power to organise things so that he will get your attention because of his love for you. As far as Jonah was concerned, he thought that he was just sailing away from what God wanted. There was a niggle inside even yet.

Are you asleep, spiritually? Did you get involved with God at the start, but have now stepped back? It's not good for any of us to be going away from what God wants us to do.

Jonah thought that once he was on the ship, he would be on his way to Tarshish and as far away from God as possible. But he didn't know what God was going to do out of his love not only for Jonah but also for the people of Nineveh.

Jonah 1:5-10 (show/hide)

5 Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But 6 So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

7 And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon 8 Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

9 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

10 Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

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He was open about the fact that he was running away from God. He thought he had done his bit in speaking to Jereboam, and that was it. When the lots were cast and sailor by sailor was eliminated, it narrowed down to Jonah. He knew that it was God who had nailed it.

Jonah 1:11-12 (show/hide)

11 Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

12 And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

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Jonah didn't fully clock into the idea that he was going to fulfil God's will for him. He knew the only answer for these people was that he was thrown into the sea. He expected to die. He was prepared to die for the sailors in the ship because he wanted the ship to be saved. He knew the storm was because of him. He was prepared for them to be saved but he didn't want Nineveh to be saved. They were beyond being saved, in his mind.

We should never harbour things against someone or a group of people. We shouldn't resent people and think they should get what they deserve to get. That's not the way of God.

Jonah 1:13-15 (show/hide)

13 Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

14 Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech thee, O LORD, we beseech thee, let us not perish for this man's life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased thee.

15 So they took up and the sea ceased from her raging.

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Sometimes the things in life that we experience is God trying to get our attention. He loves you. Sometimes we are so asleep and outside of things that it takes trials for God to get our attention.

When they threw him in the sea, they knew that was it.

Jonah 1:16 (show/hide)

16 Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

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Acts 27:22-25 (show/hide)

22 And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship.

23 For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve,

24 Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee.

25 Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.

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He was totally in communion with God. The storm was raging all around, but Paul related to the crew his faith in what God had told him. He knew that they would be safe.

What has God put his finger on in your life recently? Each one of us, if we look in the circumstances of life that we're in, behind them is a God of love and a God who communicates with us.

We need to reach out. When was the last time that you brought someone to church? God is changing our heart to reach out more than we have ever done before. For each person, we need to learn from the experience of Jonah. Stop running away from what you know is right. God has his hand on your life. What he wants to do is to reach through you to others. In our hearts, if we harbour bad attitudes towards people, we have blocked everything that God wants to do.

Ephesians 2:10 (show/hide)

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

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Individually, and as a group, we need to be awake, alert and sensitive. Be open to people you work with. It could be that there is someone who needs the answer that you have in Jesus Christ. Are you open? Are you awake? Or are you in the depths of the ship being carried to goodness knows where? God has prepared good works for you and I to do. They are before ordained, that we should walk in them.