I'd like to back up a few lines, before he got swallowed up. You'd think if Jonah knew he was about to be dinner he'd a changed his mind about going overboard? Not sure about that... just a thought.
What's interesting about this point in the story is that Jonah "asked" to be thrown overboard. Why didn't he just jump?
To refresh your memory a bit, Jonah was on this ship trying to get as far away from what God was telling him to do as he could. Because of his "stubbornness" a great storm was brought his way. He did, by the way, pay for the trip on this choppy cruise. Jonah's problems brought this storm onto people he didn't even know! When the ship's crew realized he was the reason this storm was upon them, they kindly asked him to do something about it.
So, he opted to be thrown overboard. In his mind, that would fix the problem. So I'll ask again... why didn't Jonah just jump? Why did he think it was necessary to be thrown overboard?
Sadly, Jonah wasn't finished with his cowardly acts for the day. I believe, first of all, he knew if he could be thrown out to sea, it would mean death for sure. That would be a definite way out of God ever buggin' him again about doing anything again. Secondly, if someone else threw him overboard, then it wouldn't be his fault. After all, he could say, they threw me over God, I didn't jump!
Eventually in the story, Jonah came to his senses. He finally began to fulfill the calling that God had on his life.
There's a great lesson to be learned from Jonah. Number one, why do we work so hard to avoid what God has called us to do? Really, it's harder not do it, than it is to do it. Then there's that storm. If Jonah would have just listened, he never would have been in that position. It's just like us really. Sometimes we've got to be honest with ourselves, and realize we bring a lot of our own troubles on ourselves. And finally, the whole jumping or being thrown overboard part. That's all about taking responsibility in your life. Don't expect someone else to fix your problems for you. You made this mess, so you need to own up to it, and fix it... not by bailing out, but by doing what you know is right, and being obedient when God tells you to do something.
The moral of this story? Stop running from God's call on your life. Recognize that what you do has a direct effect on everyone around you. And finally, take responsibility in your life.
It's tiring running from God. It's tiring running to Him.
Either way, ask yourself... which has a better reward?
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