FROM FRIGHT TO REVERENCE
“Then the men feared the Lord exceedingly,
and offered a sacrifice to the Lord and took vows”
(Jonah 1:16).
The story of Jonah is much more than the tale of a man who runs away from a responsibility and is swallowed by a big fish; it is a profound illustration of divine grace.
Jonah is a book of contrasts. First, a group of pagans pray to the Lord while God’s servant keeps silent. Then, at the petition of Jonah himself, they throw him into the sea, to surprisingly discover that the sea quieted when he hit the water. The sailor’s fear suffered a commendable transformation! The first chapter of Jonah mentions the fright of the sailors three times. The first time, they were afraid, they cried out to their pagan gods and they threw the cargo into the sea (see Jonah 1:5). The second time they were exceedingly afraid, and they confronted Jonah because he was fleeing from the presence of God (see verse 10). The third time, they feared the Lard exceedingly (see verse 16). Their fear grew in intensity, and changed in quality.
The original Hebrew word is yaré, which is used to describe the fear of God. The sailors did not attribute the change in the weather to a coincidence in nature, nor to good luck; they had been afraid of the storm, but they learned to fear the God who has power to unleash or reign in storms. When they changed from fright to reverence fear, they also changed who they worshipped. It was not to their idol god, but to the Lord that they offered sacrifices and made vows of faithfulness. God saved them miraculously, and they paid homage to the Savior. Once again, the fear of God and worship go hand in hand, and both are manifested in thank offerings. Our worship and reverence are shown by our faithfulness. A genuine fear of God leads to worship. What level of fear are you at now? At the level of looking to others for help, or of transforming it into reverence that leads to the worship of God?
The story ends the same way, with contrasts: the sailors were praising and giving offerings to God, the ungodly repented, and Jonah sat complaining outside of the city, wishing he would die, and God was trying to reason with him. Where do you want to be when the story of this world ends?
“We are not to be surprised at this time by events both great and decisive; for the angel of mercy cannot remain much longer to shelter the impenitent.”—Prophets and Kings, ch. 22, p. 278.
Don’t argue with God any longer. Repent, praise Him, and offer to live for HIM.
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Taken from: Devotional Thoughts for Women 2023
“DAUGHTER OF MINE” Do Not Be Afraid
From: Arsenia Fernandez-Uckele
Collaborators: Angelica Cuate & Esteban Cortes