When Jonah Stopped Running, the Storm Stopped Raging - by Elizabeth Reynolds

Jonah 1:12 & 15

(Jonah) said to them, “Take me up, and throw me into the sea. Then the sea will be calm for you; for I know that because of me this great storm is on you.”... So they took up Jonah, and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased its raging.

This passage features in the movie I saw recently The Jesus Revolution, when the main characters were putting together a sermon, encouraging young people to come out of drug addicitions etc. I LOVED the use of this Bible story to share that message. And I feel it can be applied to many things - not just drugs, and not just addictions. The sermon referred to times where we might be running from God in some way. Or perhaps running from responsibility, running from a difficult task or decision you know is necessary. Perhaps even running from or avoiding certain truths in your life or realities you know you need to face.

Instead of just scanning this and thinking, well this doesn't relate to me, I'm not running from anything... just pause for a moment, and examine yourself. Maybe you are and you didn't realise it before. Maybe you're having difficulties in your life, maybe there are some personal 'storms' going on, and you haven't been able to pin-point why. These storms might be raging because you're trying to run or hide from God in some way.

Whatever it is you might be 'running from', the story of Jonah in the boat tells us that when he came to realise he was trying to run and hide from God, and when he finally stopped running / hiding, the storms - the raging... stopped.

So if there is some unrest in your life right now, I encourage you... stop running. Stop hiding. Stop avoiding. Stop.

Come to God. Draw near to Him now. In Mark chapter 4, we read of the story of a storm that obeyed the words of Jesus and stopped. He will calm that storm for you, if you would only come to Him, lean on Him and trust Him.