Throw A Jonah Overboard

Jonah is one of my favorite stories in the Bible--mainly because I can relate to him so well. There have been different Jonah's in my life and when the supernatural storm like the sailors knew this storm was not a normal storm, first the cargo goes overboard. Is there anything displeasing God in my life?  Next, is there anyone God that is not healthy in my life? I rarely throw a person out of my life, but like when I became a Christian, I find that people disappear on their own.

I had a friend who was using me to pick up guys when I was a teenager. When I became a Christian, and I was not going to wild parties anymore, she disappeared. It's because I was mostly going to Bible studies so there was nothing she could get out of me anymore. I find in life that sometimes people use us to get something out of us. God's word says, "A friend loves at all times." Proverbs 17:17. I'm not the only one that have seen people disappear when they get in a relationship, some men said their male friends did the same thing.

It's not always easy to "follow our heart" in life. I've had people counsel me to do something and I knew in my spirit that God wanted me to do the exact opposite. It was going "against the grain." Everyone knows when we sand a piece of furniture with sand paper to refinish it, we sand with the grain. It was against all common sense in life, but it turned out to be the right thing to do (follow my heart). I'm glad my husband supported my decision at that time. He was the only one. We see in Job's life when he was going through a trial, neither his wife or his friends were supportive.

Like Jonah, God has told me to do some things I don't want to do at times. Sometimes it worked out well like Nineveh when he told them to repent or the city would be destroyed, the whole city repented. Rather than spend the last 40 days of their life on a "kick the bucket" list, they spent it seeking God. Later, when they heard the gospel of Christ, they became Christians in that city and they have a day known as "Jonah Day" although I'm not sure Jonah should get the credit for it.  Rather funny, to think of Jonah in heaven and people saying, “Hey Jonah, Nineveh named a day after you even though you went the other direction.”

When Jonah was going to Joppa, there was a boat standing by and whenever we are in disobedience the enemy will make sure there is a boat standing by, but he had to buy a ticket -- it cost him something. Sin in our lives will cost us something.   

My husband told a  half truth about our boat one time and the Lord showed me that is the reason it had so many mechanical problems.  It seems when my husband or his friend who was the co-owner took it to get repaired, they paid money, but it still did not work.  It would break down on the lake again.  The Lord spoke to me and he said, “There is an oppression on your boat from that lie your husband told.”  So I broke the oppressor.   I know Satan is the “father of lies” and I don’t like to lie.  

There have been times in the past like Corrie ten Boom who was hiding the Jews where it was necessary not to tell someone all the facts in a matter to save someone from being hurt, but on the whole, I believe in telling the truth.    I always wondered how Isaac and Abraham told lies about their wife being their sister, but I believe that was one of those instances where God’s grace was involved in order to not be killed.  Although, I have serious qualms about them putting Sarah and Rebecca in danger and the apple does not fall far from the tree in that what Abraham did, his son did the same thing.  Another time, David acted like a crazy man in front of king, and I’m sure he had a reason for that too, but on a whole, “honesty is the best policy.’

When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelek king of the Philistines looked down from a window and saw Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. So Abimelek summoned Isaac and said, "She is really your wife! Why did you say, 'She is my sister'?" Isaac answered him, "Because I thought I might lose my life on account of her." Genesis 26:8-9

But Jonah ran away from the LORD and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. Jonah 1:3

What is interesting is that when the storm came he went down into the boat, sort of down into a pit. I don't know how he could sleep. He did not have the guts to jump overboard, but he asked them to throw him. It reminds me of that scripture where it says to "throw off a hindrance in life." Sometimes a hindrance can be a bad relationship.

All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. Jonah 1:5
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, Hebrews 12:1

I've heard different ministers talk about that they don't like to hang out or associate with those who "play games" with God. For me #1 is a person who slanders and gossips. I can't be around a regular dose of that because there are too many scriptures that say, "If you will love life and see good days, keep your tongue from evil and that your lips speak no guile." 1 Peter 3:10. Being around the town gossip or the church gossip drags me down. It reminds me of Mrs. Oleson on the television series Little House on the Prairie - there is always someone who likes to spread rumors.

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. James 4:11
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 1 Peter 2:1
Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. 1 Tim. 5:13