Would someone want to be on board a ship struggling to keep afloat in a storm-tossed ocean? Menacing waves are pounding the ship and the prophet, Jonah, is sleeping peacefully below deck. The ship is taking on water and, at any moment, is liable to sink into the sea’s unforgiving depths. It is simply beyond imagining that anyone in his right mind would even consider being among the harried and panic-stricken sailors and passengers. Yet, if I were to be asked, I would want to be inside the ship, and gladly at that.
Reasons Why the Prophet Jonah’s Ship is the Best Place to be
- God is in command.
There is no higher reason than this one. God is testing His prophet, Jonah’s faith in Him. It means God is in control of the situation. The storm, the panic that ensue, and the feeling of helplessness amidst a cataclysm are all part of God’s grand plan. Would I trust God with my life? Yes, I would.
- A great miracle of God is unfolding.
I want to witness a page of history unfolding before my eyes. God puts the lives of the sailors and other passengers at risk by sending a powerful storm but, afterward, calmed the storm’s fury with a flick of his mighty hand. Who would not want to see God’s glory in the flesh? I can only think of millions of pilgrims who travel to far-flung places to at least get a feel of what it is to be in the presence of the Almighty. It is why billionaires pay thousands of dollars to ride rocket ships to and float in the null gravity of space.
- It is a pathway to salvation.
God is not only putting to the test the prophet, Jonah. God is also asking everyone on board the ship to repent and find salvation. Only those who truly repent will be saved. I would want to be saved and to deserve salvation.
Author Chad Groen 