True Understanding

"And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you." (Jonah 1:12)

A prophet can understand many things. Here is a prophet who was understanding the cause of a great tempest across his path. We are not humble to acknowledge such things. A husband may be the cause of the wife's illness but he may not be humble to acknowledge it. Sometimes the sin of the mother may make a child ill. One may show his love by expenditure of money, but is there expenditure of faith?

The men toiled at the oars but it did not help the situation. They threw out their wares and lightened the ship, but it did not avail. The boat could not stand the fury of the storm. God is with His prophets but here He was not with Jonah because of deliberate disobedience in the prophet. He was not in the will of God. When you are not in the will of God you are sinning. God's protection is removed from you. God is with converted people but they must be with God. Then only their protection is sure. When you willfully sin, God's protection is taken away. It is not merely breaking one of the ten commandments but it is going against His will. Jonah was bringing destruction on the ship in which he was traveling. You may bring trouble upon your family. You are residing among ungodly people. You have chosen that place deliberately. Lot did so and brought destruction on his family. Daniel was in the lion's den but he was in God's will and he was safe. David was walking on the terrace of his house against God's will. A temptation assailed him and he fell. When you know God's will and go against it, a thousand people may pray for you but it will not avail. Jonah could not pray and so he was sleeping. A great city was perishing and there was no other man to whom God could give the responsibility of delivering that message to Nineveh.