An Unlikely Love Story (Part I)
Dr. Barry D. Lovett
11 My child, do not reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t get angry when he corrects you. The Lord corrects those he loves, just as parents correct the child they delight in. Proverbs 3:11-12 (NCV)
Jonah is a story of God’s great love for Jonah and God’s love for you. There are four evidences of God’s love for Jonah.
GOD CALLED JONAH. The Lord spoke his word to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up, go to the great city of Nineveh, and preach against it, because I see the evil things they do.” But Jonah got up to run away from the Lord by going to Tarshish. He went to the city of Joppa, where he found a ship that was going to the city of Tarshish. Jonah paid for the trip and went aboard, planning to go to Tarshish to run away from the Lord . Jonah 1:1-3 (NCV)
CHASTENED JONAH. 4 But the Lord hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. 5 Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 The captain came and said to him, “What are you doing sound asleep? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps the god will spare us a thought so that we do not perish.”
7 The sailorsa said to one another, “Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.” So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. Jonah 1:4-7 (NRSV) God was chastening Jonah.
Chasten: “To inflict suffering upon for the purpose of moral improvement.”
Everything in this story obeys God except Jonah.
If you are a parent and you love your children what do you do when your child disobeys. You correct him.
In Chapter one God had Jonah’s mind. He has a plan for you and it’s a good plan. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
In Chapter two God got a hold of Jonah’s body.
You’ve gone through some hard times because you’ve been running from the Lord and now he finally has your attention. He’s got your body. You’re here right now not by accident but by design.
“When you lose your life that’ when you’ll find it.” Jesus