Jonah: God's Relentless GraceSample

God who pursues 

When Jonah runs from God out of disobedience, God pursues him. The reason God pursues Jonah is not to pay him back for his disobedience but to bring Jonah back to Him. 

God, the creator and sustainer of all things, uses nature to intervene in Jonah’s life. He uses a great storm to create fear among the sailors who decide to throw Jonah into the sea in order to calm the storm. 

The storm is an instrument of God’s grace. On the surface, it seems like God is punishing Jonah. But when we look closely, God is helping Jonah realize his sin. God is getting Jonah’s attention through the storm. 

When a friend struggles with some addiction, you need to intervene in order to help your friend. This might involve some drastic steps, which can be interpreted by your friend as unloving and mean. But you take those steps out of love and concern. You take drastic steps to keep your friend from destroying his life. 

God loves us too much to let us self-destruct. He not only uses the storm, but he also sends the fish. His grace is limitless. His love has no bounds. 

If sin is to run from God, grace is God intervening in your life. God pursues us with a fierce and faithful love. 

John 15:13 says that there is no greater love than one laying his life down for his friends. Jesus calls us friends. But Jesus died for us while we were sinners. He pursued us so that we can become a friend of God. Remember, when the storm comes, there is love beneath the waves and He will hold you fast.