The Sovereignty of God

By Jasmine Britto, Kerala, India

Day 3

Jonah 1:10-16

This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the LORD, because he had already told them so.) The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” ”Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. Then they cried out to the LORD, “Please, LORD, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, LORD, have done as you pleased.”  Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm.  At this the men greatly feared the LORD, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows to him. 

Jonah knew that he had disobeyed God and the storm was his fault, but he didn’t say anything about it until the crew cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. Then Jonah was willing to give his life to save the sailors, although he had refused to do the same for the people of Nineveh. But the pagan sailors were compassionate toward Jonah and wanted to save him. So they tried to get the ship to land instead of throwing him into the sea, because they believed his God truly existed and they feared the consequences of throwing a prophet of such a God into the sea. They tried hard to reach land but they could not.

God’s purposes cannot be overpowered no matter how much we try. God is in control of the seas and they wouldn’t calm down until they did what God was intending them to do –- so that God could fulfill his purpose in the life of Jonah. God’s plans and purposes can never be changed (Proverbs 21:30). Resisting God will never make life easy. (Job 42:2 "I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.”)

As soon as they took Jonah and threw him overboard, the sea grew calm. The immediate calming down of the storm proved that Jonah’s God did exist and that Jonah’s resistance to God was the real problem. In a logical response, the sailors now feared the Lord instead of fearing the storm and they offered a sacrifice to God and made promises to serve him.

We see here the sovereignty of God. God is able to use even our mistakes to help others to come to know him. It may be painful, but admitting our sins can be a powerful example to those who don’t know God.

Is there any area of our lives where we can sense that we are resisting God? Is there any sin we need to acknowledge today?

Prayer Focus

Today, let’s ask God to give us a surrendered heart.