Day 127: Carrying the Wrong Cargo

We're continuing with Jonah today but we’re going to to hone in on a few scriptures.

Jonah 1:11-15

And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?” “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.” Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once!

The first thing I’d like to point out is Jonah’s honesty, he knew exactly what he was doing and he wasn’t going to lie about it. We  all know what Jonah did and we know his story but today I want to talk about the other people in this story. Specifically the men on the ship. They were grieved to know that Jonah had fled from God, and brought this horrible storm upon them. However, they did not want to throw him overboard even though it was the only way to save everyone, including Jonah.

1 They threw everything overboard except the one thing or person that could stop the storm. Not knowing that the cargo they were carrying that needed to be thrown over was a man on the ship.

Sometimes we blindly avoid the very people in our lives wreaking havoc upon it. We throw away things, and people trying to find the source of whatever issue it is, but sometimes it closer than we think. The person causing their storm was in the inner part of the ship sleeping. He was resting as if nothing was going on. Sometimes the people in our lives that need to go are comfortable, and unbothered by what is going on in our lives.

2 Even after Jonah told them to throw him overboard they tried to get back to shore so they wouldn’t have to throw him overboard.

Sometimes we try to play superhero to people not realizing we are getting in the way of God’s plan. God knew what He was doing, the only way for the storm to cease was for Jonah to be thrown overboard, which is why they never made it to shore. God had to deal with Jonah, and He knew that if Jonah was back on the shore he would have found a way to Tarshish.

Another point to make is that we frequently hold on to people even when we know they are hurting us. Jonah was causing these men to be thrown around in a storm, yet they still tried to save him. There is a point where we have to let go in order to save ourselves the heartache, we have to guard our hearts and protect ourselves sometime. While doing so, we could also be saving the other person. We can have people standing right in front of us visibly hurting us, yet we don’t walk away because we want to give them another chance or believe that we can change them. One, the only person who can change the human heart is the one who made it, God. Another thing is that sometimes letting go is giving people a chance to change. Like saying, you won’t know what you have until it’s gone. Just like the men on the ship, they had to throw Jonah overboard or they were going to go down with him. There are people in our lives dragging us down, and we cannot afford to go down with them. So we have to throw them overboard, metaphorically, as much as we do not want to do it, we have to or we will find ourselves sinking with them. God will protect them, He’s got a plan, we have to worry about ourselves and give them to God.

We cannot carry around people causing a storm in our lives. Those are not people we are meant to be around or be friends with.

Reflection

1. Is there a Jonah in your ship wreaking havoc on your life?
2. Who is it?
3. Are you willing to let them go if God told you to?

Prayer Time

Allow your answers to the above questions guide your prayer. If there is someone in your life that you need to let go of ask God to give you the strength to do it, and ask God to help you find the balance of being selfless while also looking out and taking care of yourself.

I love you, I hope you have an aging day or evening. Thank you so much for bearing with mean this week as posts were late, and I was very busy. Thank you. I hope you share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 128!