Jonah (Part V)
Jonah 1
But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship threatened to break up.
There are few words in the English language more powerful than the word “but”. That word changes the course of whatever is being said, done, or planned. It can take hope and crush it, or take the most hopeless situation and turn things around in a second! It can take the most well thought out plan and change it into something totally different.
In Jonah’s case, “but” took Jonah out of the frying pan and into the fire! Jonah was in blatent disobedience. Little did he know that there was a “but” coming for him. He thought out and decided on a course of action that he felt would take him out of God’s presence and therefore negate God’s plan for him, “but” God’s plan included his disobedience, which included a little “pleasure cruise” to subjection and obedience.
It’s funny how we think that God is the least bit fazed by our bad decisions and choices. We think that God is popping anti-anxiety meds while watching us flounder to and fro and just hoping that we will “come back” to Him and serve Him. I think He laughs when we think so much more highly about ourselves than we truly are, like by our own will or choice, we can determine the course of time and history and decide the fate of those who rise and fall. We dare to tell Him like Lucifer :
Isaiah 14:
13) You said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
14) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
I have had many “but” moments in my life. I have had moments like Jonah when I tried to take the reigns of my life and steer into a direction “I” thought would be better for me and it led to brokenness and subjection. I have also been in the midst of some very low points in my life where there seemed to be no hope and God sent a “but” my way and made a way where there seemed to be no way.
Are you facing any “but” moments?
Kevin
