The sailors tried to figure out the source of the storm, so they cast lots to find out the culprit, and the lot fell on Jonah. Then, they ask Jonah, "Tell us, now! On whose account has this calamity struck us? What is your occupation? And where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?" Jonah answered, "I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land." (Jonah 1:8-9). Jonah identified himself as the opposite of who he was. Since he was a Hebrew, he came from God's chosen people, the Israelites. He was supposed to represent God to the people of the earth and worship God; however, he wasn't doing all of those. He was running away from God. Jonah is an example of a Christian who is in rebellion. He knew that the right thing to do was to obey and worship God, but he chose to walk in his own ways and disregarded the God who loved and cared for him.
The reason Jonah was in rebellion against God was because he didn't want to forgive the Assyrians, the enemies of Israel. God wanted him to go to Nineveh to warn them of His judgment, but he didn't want to obey because if the Assyrians repented of their sins, God would not judge them. Jonah wanted God to judge and destroy the Assyrians and was not repentant. As a result, he found himself in the middle of the storm. Some of us may not have a problem with unforgiveness, but we have problems with other sins. Living in sin as a Christian is not what God intended for us to live. God has forgiven us of our sins and saved us from His judgment so that we can live a righteous life.
As believers in our Lord Jesus, we must choose what is right and pleasing to God. Jonah had excuses to hate the Assyrians because of their atrocities against his people, but God demanded him to forgive, just as God had forgiven him. If you are in rebellion against God now, I encourage you to come back to the Lord, confess, and repent of your sins. This is the only way that you can be restored in His peace. We have to continue to live according to our faith in our Lord Jesus.
Ask yourself these questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully and meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speaks to you). What must I do when I am in rebellion against God? What is God expected of me to live my life? Why is it important for me to follow and obey God?
Write down all the worries you face today and lift them up to God.
Prayer:
Father in Heaven, may you continue to work in my heart and change me to be the person you want me to be. Please help me to choose and do what is right before you. Please help me to forgive and overcome any temptations that I face today. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.