" WAKE - UP OH SLEEPER "

THE 1ST BOOK OF JONAH IS FILLED WITH SCRIPTURES THAT DEPICT GODS CHILD , JONAH , ON THE RUN .ISN'T IT TRUE THAT EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW GODS LAWS AND COMMANDMENTS , WE TOO RUN AWAY FROM OUR LORD AT TIMES DURING OUR STRUGGLES WITH LIFE ; ONLY TO FIND OURSELVES IN AN EVEN BIGGER MESS THAN WHEN WE FIRST STARTED TO RUN . AS JONAH RAN , HIS ESCAPE ROUTE LANDED HIM ON A SHIP. SOON AFTER THE SHIP SET OFF TO SEA , A VIOLENT STORM WAS SENT DOWN BY GOD. AS THE VESSEL THRASHED ABOUT, THE MEN BEGAN TO FEAR THE WORST ,WHILE JONAH TOOK REFUGE BELOW DECK WHERE HE FELL ASLEEP !! ISN'T THIS HOW WE REACT TO OUR LORD AT TIMES ? WHEN WE ARE FACED WITH TOUGH DECISIONS TO MAKE , FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER , WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE THE GODLY CHOICE AND FALL INTO A SLUMP , SLEEP OR SLUMBER ( WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT ).....WE WONDER THEN WHY DO WE HAVE SO MUCH AGONY , PAIN OR TROUBLE ......WHEN THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE REFUSED TO OBEY THE LORD'S INSTRUCTIONS !! WHEN THE CAPTAIN WENT BELOW DECK HE SAID , " How can you sleep ? Get up and call on your GOD ! Maybe HE will take notice of us , and we will not perish . " ch.1 vs.6 AS THE OTHER MEN BEGAN TO QUESTION HIM JONAH KNEW WHAT HE HAD DONE (RUN FROM THE LORD HIS GOD ) AND WENT ON TO TELL THEM ,"I am a Hebrew and i worship the LORD , the GOD of heaven, who made the sea and the land. " ch.1vs.9 ...... ISN'T IT TRUE TO SAY, AT THE LEAST , THAT WE KNOW WHO THE LORD JESUS IS AND YET WE STILL REFUSE TO OBEY ?..... AS THE STORM CONTINUED JONAH ASKED THE MEN TO THROW HIM OVERBOARD RELYING ON GODS WILL TO CALM THE SEA........ THEY OBLIGED AND IMMEDIATELY THE SEA GREW CALM . WITH THIS THE LORD GAINED FAVOR WITH THESE MEN, BUT AS FOR JONAH ..... HE SPENT THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS IN THE BELLY OF OF A WHALE !! ......YOU MAY SAY WHY DID THE LORD HAVE A FISH SWALLOW HIM ?? JUST THE WAY YOU MAY SAY WHY DOES THE LORD ALLOW THIS OR THAT TO HAPPEN TO ME OR SOMEONE I KNOW ? WELL THE ANSWER IS FOUND IN CHAPTER 2 OF THIS PROFOUND BOOK .......JONAH'S PRAYER . ( I SUGGEST HIGHLY THAT YOU READ THIS CHAPTER FOR IT IS REVELLING !! ) JONAH WAS FINALLY WILLING TO LISTEN TO THE WORD OF THE LORD IN CHAPTER 3 AND OBEY THE INSTRUCTION TO GO TO NINEVEH. ...........NOW NINEVEH WAS A VERY VERY POWERFUL CITY ,BUT A MENACE TO THE ISRAELITES . WHEN JONAH ARRIVED ,HE PREACHED THE WORD FROM GOD AND THE NINEVITES CAME TO BELIEVE IN GOD !!!!! ISN'T THIS WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW GOD, WHEN WE ARE OBEDIENT AND PREACH THE WORD FROM THE LORD JESUS ? BUT YOU SEE SOMETHING ELSE HAPPENED HERE ," When GOD saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, HE had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened. " ch.3vs.10..........GOD SHOWED THE NINEVITES HIS UNFAILING AND EVERLASTING MERCY........ DOES NOT THE LORD JESUS SHOW US HIS UNFAILING AND EVERLASTING MERCY WHEN WE REPENT OF OUR SINS , COME TO BELIEVE HE IS LORD AND TURN FROM OUR EVIL WAYS ?THE BOOK OF JONAH IS TRULY A BOOK OF THE OLD TESTAMENT THAT I CHERISH..........................SUMMER