Deb Gerard’s Blog

Obeying the First Time! 

Jonah 3:1 “Now, the Word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time saying, ‘Arise, go to Ninevah…”  At first blush (and if we didn’t already know the story), this would seem but a simple deal.  God had obviously told Jonah a first time to go to Ninevah and it would seem that Jonah didn’t do it.  NOW God is telling him a second time.  After God told him the first time, Jonah ran in the opposite direction.  He then was on a ship that came upon a huge storm that threatened to capsize it.  Jonah was then thrown overboard as a way to save the ship (You see, in those days, people really considered early on that maybe GOD had something to do with things like this and maybe someone was disobeying something!!!).  Jonah ends up in the belly of a big fish for three days and finally is vomited up on dry land, really white skinned from being bleached by the fish’s stomach acid!  NOW, after all this, GOD tells Jonah a second time to go to Ninevah.  Verse 3 says “So Jonah arose and went to Ninevah, according to the Word of the LORD!”

As I read this story again this morning, these thoughts came to me.  First, a great deal happened between the two directives from the LORD.  Second, there were some pretty immediate and severe consequences to Jonah’s disobedience to God’s instructions.  Third, in hind sight, it would seem that the wiser move on Jonah’s part would have been to obey the first time!

Oh, did this speak to my heart!  How many times does God have to tell me more than once before I obey?  How many consequences have I suffered because of initial disobedience?  How many times do I read in the Bible, His instruction manual for my life, to do this or not do that and I choose to “run in the opposite direction”? 

God gives us stories in the Bible as examples to guide us and teach us so we don’t have to repeat those same lessons and learn the hard way!  God wants immediate and complete obedience and throughout His Word, He clearly indicates the results-obedience brings blessing and disobedience brings cursing!!  I am such a slow learner (and probably, if I am really honest, more rebellious than slow!!) but I am so grateful to a gracious God who hasn’t resorted to using a big fish to teach me!!!  Oh God, may I choose this day to obey the first time!  May my readers do the same!!

Mark 4:41 “And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, ‘Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey Him?’”

The disciples had just experienced nearly hurricane force winds on the Sea of Galilee, a lake 690 feet below sea level and surrounded by hills in which severe winds often arose.  The disciples were familiar with such storms and felt sure this one was strong enough to drown them.  Jesus was in the boat with them, but so exhausted from sharing, teaching and healing that He was sleeping through this horrific storm. 

The disciples rush to Him for help, as they believed they were about to perish.  Jesus speaks peace to the storm and though such storms normally ended gradually, upon the command of Jesus, this one abates immediately. 

After speaking the storm to calm, Jesus asks the disciples “How is it you have no faith?’  It is at this point the Bible indicates in Mark 4:41, “And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, ‘Who can this be that even the winds and the sea obey Him?’”  The disciples had feared for their very lives during the storm and, in that fear, they ran to Jesus for help.  His response (calming the storm with a word) results in exceeding fear and absolute wonder as to who this Jesus really was if even the storm obeyed Him! 

Who is this One?  Jesus asked Peter on another occasion who he thought He was and Peter told Him.   The Bible records his answer in Matthew 16:16 where Peter says to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  This is the One who calms the storm with a word.  This is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  This is the One we can run to for help and know we will get it!  Take comfort and draw strength in knowing this truth about this One!