Saturday Morning Manna

I'm sitting here this beautiful Saturday morning, drinking my white chocolate coconut latte, and pondering my past week. I am learning many great treasures while doing these Bible studies. I am hesitant to share alot of my Esther findings because I am in a group of wonderful Siestas, which is almost ready as a group to embark on the Esther Study. So I am trying to restrain myself from Spoiling their initial start. ANYWHO-----long story, short memory.

What I do want to blog about this morning is this------God will make HIS way known even though I am going against Him.

My thoughts come from the story of Jonah. We all know the story well. Something jumped out of the pages in a simple thought. Jonah did make a boat trip going the opposite direction away from God's command. The trip destination was Tarshish, which was in the total opposite direction. You know the story. God causes a great storm to form, and all the crew were frantically discarding all the weight and praying to their gods for help. Jonah was asleep in the bottom of the boat. The captain found him and questioned him, thus finding out Jonah was the cause for such a calamity. Here's the tidbit that flew out to me----Jonah told the men to throw him overboard and the storm would cease. Instead of immediately throwing him in, they try to row against the storm. Are you kidding me!! They had already thrown everything that wasn't tied down off the boat--why the hesitation now? Disbelief? I thought about this---and it hit me right in the face. My disbelief causes me to make rash decisions just like rowing against a fierce storm. Immediately the men realized they were going to perish, because the Bible says the storm grew wilder until ultimately they cried to God for safety, and tossed Jonah over. Instantly the storm subsided. God has to create a storm in my life so tumultuous, that it is evident if I don't let things I am holding sacred go, He will allow the storm to rock me so severely until I cling to Him. Not only was Jonah in the end saved from the great fish and Ninevah was saved, but the crew and captain immediately turn praise and sacrifice to the one true God. I realized that even when God allows the storm to come--I can still glorify Him through it and learn my lesson too. God saved those men positionally from the peril, but spiritually also. Other lives can be touched, even through chastisement. I hate when I get to the place that God has to discipline me. I know also that it is a testimony that I am His and He cares for me. Do I like it---No--but it also turns my boat toward him like the captain and crew soon found out. It is necessary. God is such a great God to love me enough to show me the storm and also give me a way of escape. He is good.