Jonah had been told by God to go to Nineveh, the capital city of the great empire conquering the nation of Israel, and tell them to repent. Jonah was not willing to go.
Jonah went on a downward trajectory from the presence of God to the bowels of the boat heading to Joppa.
God hurled a massive storm at Jonah. The boat and the crew were in the wake of Jonah’s disobedience. The storm worsened. But Jonah was not willing to listen.
Jonah’s answer was to be tossed overboard. This would ensure he did not go to Ninevah, and he assumed it would save the boat and the crew.
As Jonah hit the water, God had prepared for this moment. God had appointed before for a giant fish to be in the area. This giant fish swims by as Jonah is sinking into the dark abyss and swallows him whole.
Jonah went from the presence of the Lord down to Joppa, down into the boat, down into the sea, and now down into the bellow of the great fish. A downward spiral that kept getting worse and worse. He ended up in the bowels of death!
But this was all orchestrated by God. God brought the great storm. God caused the storm to become more and more tempestuous. God prepared the great fish.
God brought the storm and chaos into Jonah’s life.
There are times when we experience chaos and wonder why we are facing a downward spiral. Why are bad things always happening?
It could be that God is at work. It could be that God is trying to encourage you to move from where you are to where he wants you to be. He may be calling you to a mission, and you are not interested in going.
God does not force us to follow His plan or make us do his purposes. But he will certainly orchestrate our circumstances to encourage us to be willing to go.
Don’t follow the path of Jonah into the chaos and bowels of a great fish to go where God is calling. Be like Samuel and say, “Speak LORD, for your servant is listening.”