Jonah 1:7-9 (timely)

Jonah 1:7-9

1:7 -  Each man said to his mate, “Come, let us cast lots so we may learn on whose account this calamity has struck us.” So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

If we ignore the more specific events, God will then single us out so we cannot deny that He is trying to get our attention. The action is still motivated by the positive hand of pleading rather than the negative hand of discipline (which is also always good).

1:8 - Then they said to him, “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?”

1:9 - He said to them, “I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord God of heaven who made the sea and the dry land.”

Many, many times we can be almost clinical in our presentation of who we are. May it never be! The attitude goes something like this:

"I don't have to worry about how this affects others because I am secure in my salvation."

"It stinks for you, but I really don't care about your struggles - I've got this under control...uh, praise Jesus."

"Being a Christian is everything to me; don't come to me with your problems."

So often we have an uncaring, hard hearted response to men in desperate need of salvation.

Paragraph summary

If the servant of the Lord refuses to turn from his disobedience, God will confront him directly. This may be through unbelievers, as in this case, or believers, ala church discipline or Spirit led inquiry. Often the runner will confess that he knows he is running (see next paragraph).