As we consider the story of Jonah and examine his activities, we can discover some important messages for both prodigals and standers. Obviously, our prodigal spouses are fleeing from the Lord. They may be doing so in ignorance of His Word or in defiant disobedience, but they are still running from God’s Word, and there’s NO place to hide from God. As standers, we learn that obeying God and honoring the covenant of our marriage demonstrates obedient faith in Him, and that it’s important for our families and everyone else who might be profoundly influenced by witnessing our faith in God as we stand against the odds for the restoration of our marriages and families.

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. Jonah 1:1-3 (NLT)

God gives us all opportunities to choose obedience or to run, and Jonah’s freedom to choose led him to run. He knew God would have mercy on the people of Nineveh for their sin and wrong doing if they repented, but he was so fed up and appalled by their actions that he wanted to see them destroyed. So, not unlike many standers, he was stingy with his grace but generous with his judgment.

Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship. But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.” Jonah 1:5-6 (NLT)

As the ship hit stormy seas, Jonah’s shipmates woke him from his sleep, because they were aware of his relationship with God, and they wanted him to call on God to deliver them. Many of our spouses have a relationship with Christ, even if it seems that they have wandered from Him or chosen to run from Him. And some even admit to knowing that what they’re doing is not what God wants and expects of them, but they are determined to do what they want anyway. Yet, they often turn to us for help when they’re in trouble, because they’re drawn to our peace and the faith we have in God.

Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. Jonah 1:14-16 (NLT)

The crew pleaded to God not to be held accountable for throwing Jonah over into the sea, because they greatly feared the Lord, even as unbelievers. Likewise, we should fear the Lord and pray for forgiveness for the mistakes we made in our marriages and make a commitment to obedience. And we have to give our spouses over to God; the only one who has the power to reveal Himself to them and change their hearts and bring them home. And when we make ourselves accountable to God, we can trust Him to pour out His power in our spouses’ lives and hearts.

Jonah’s Prayer
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and Lord, you heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths, and I sank down to the heart of the sea. The mighty waters engulfed me; I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence. Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’ “I sank beneath the waves, and the waters closed over me. Seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was imprisoned in the earth, whose gates lock shut forever. But you, O Lord my God, snatched me from the jaws of death! As my life was slipping away, I remembered the Lord. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple. Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.” Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. Jonah 2 (NLT)

Just as Jonah did when he was inside the belly of the fish, many of our spouses have experienced turbulence in their lives; job problems, illness, lack of prosperity, joylessness, lack of peace; which they will continue to do. But eventually, also like Jonah, they will have to stop running and turn to the Lord in their distress and surrender every area of their lives to Him, when He will be faithfully waiting to receive them. And as with Jonah, when they surrender, God will bring their lives out of the pit when they’re ready to come home to Him. Anyone who clings to idols, such as careers, selfishness, and sinful lifestyles, forfeit the grace that could be theirs, but we can be assured that just as He did with Jonah, God will bring them out of the darkness. Jonah finally declared that what he had vowed, he would make good. So let’s always remember and honor the vow and covenant we made with our spouse before God, because we know He will not break His promises or dishonor His Holy covenant.

Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.” This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. Jonah 3:1-3(NLT)

As with Jonah, God will not let our spouses go. He will soften their hearts, give them knowledge and understanding of His Word and ultimately convict them concerning the vow and covenant they made with us and Him. Jonah eventually obeyed the Lord and our spouses will as well.

When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city: “No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.” When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened Jonah 3:6-10(NLT)

We can be like Jonah in another very important way too. By obeying God, Jonah brought a desire for deliverance to the Ninevites. They grew to believe God and fasted, and turned from disobedience. And when they turned to God, He had compassion and did not bring the destruction on them He had planned. Instead God poured out the same grace and mercy on the Ninevites He had poured out on Jonah and delivered them.

But the LORD said, “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. 11 But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” Jonah 4:10 (NLT)

So let’s enjoy and nurture the vine God has given to shade us in our time of discomfort. And let’s avoid the scorching winds and blazing sun, by not refusing to give God control in our lives and the restoration of our marriages. And let’s be ready and waiting with God when He brings the ones we love running to Him!

Posted Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 at 9:00 pm in Seeds Of Faith.