In The Same BoatSample

When Rowing to Shore is a Very Bad Idea

Take some time today to read back through chapter one of Jonah and try to look at it with new eyes. Try a different translation than you're used to or read it aloud to yourself. See what strikes you afresh today in the reading.

Okay, so Jonah… or rather I want to talk about the sailors again. Oh man, those poor sailors! I think they must have been rather perturbed to find themselves the innocent bystanders in the middle of this cosmic, supernatural show-down between God and Jonah. 

Except they weren’t bystanders at all were they? They were smack-dab in the middle of a very real storm, with very wet rain, very huge waves, very blustery winds. On, as the NIV says, a “tempestuous” sea. Their lives were in danger in a very real way. And all because this crackpot Jonah decided to run away from God on their boat.

This mariner would be less than amused... and I'm guessing I wouldn't be alone.

How often do we find ourselves in the middle of a massive storm of someone else’s making that suddenly becomes very much our business? The waves meant for them- blast us. The winds meant to blow them away- encircle us. The rain meant for them- saturates us. And before we know it, someone else’s storm has become one that consumes our own lives.

As you read today, envision what these poor sailors were thinking, feeling, and experiencing. I think a fascinating side-story occurs during the middle of the storm. Despite having very clear instructions on how to obediently and swiftly exit stage left- the sailors “INSTEAD… did their best to row back to land” (emphasis mine.) 

Whoa! 

Wait a minute. I’m confused. At what point did these poor saps think it was a good idea to get between God and Jonah? They had instructions. They knew what to do and yet they took it upon themselves to save him. Suddenly the sailors decide that they have some weird responsibility to save Jonah from the wrath of God… and they actually try to fix his situation.

I would love to point fingers here, though I think that 4 others would be pointing back at me.

Haven’t we all, even in the middle of someone else’s storm, tried to row them to dry land? As dangerous a place as it is, we choose to insert ourselves as (what we consider) a 'solution' to somebody else’s issue with God. We boldly and recklessly stand between them and God Almighty thinking we have a better solution, a better way to shore, a better idea of how to fix the problem.

Arrogant much? (It harkens a bit back to yesterday's lesson in looking at ourselves as gods who can fix these does it not?)

And extremely costly- both in time and lesson.

It’s time to throw our Jonah’s overboard dear ones. As hard as it sounds, we have to remove ourselves from the supernatural battle (i.e. spiritual lesson) going on. Jonah’s storm of disobedience does not give us permission to become his salvation (more on that tomorrow!)

Notice that the storm stopped only once the sailors obeyed instructions; which involved throwing him into the sea- seemingly to his presumed death... or at the very least, completely out of their control and ability to 'help' anymore. The storm they found themselves in, mightily came with Jonah and immediately left with him as well. I can only imagine the same effect can be had when we listen to God and obey His instructions to us about the proverbial Jonahs in our lives.

You may be asked to throw him overboard, you may be asked to row him to shore. But take care to listen and obey. So often these storms not of our doing involve our very intentional ‘sacrificing of him to the seas’ in order to be walking in our own obedience.

REFLECTION:

Search your lives dear ones and see if you’re trying to row a Jonah to shore. It’s a slippery oar to hold, a precarious boat to sail, and a dangerous spiritual position to be in. Inserting yourself between God and a Jonah is a very arrogant and foolish position to be in.  Ask God for the courage and wisdom to throw him overboard if that’s what’s necessary.