Devotion 2: God’s Kindness

Cathy Story

Recently, I came across a concept in a book that was interesting. The idea is that our kids are constantly asking us (even subconsciously) two questions: the first, “Am I loved?” and the second, “Can I get my own way?” As parents, the first question is pretty easy to answer. Do we love our kids? Absolutely, wholeheartedly, and without a doubt! This book went on to say that it is actually the second question we struggle with a bit more. When our child is asking with their words or actions, “Can I get my own way?” we sometimes swing to extremes in our response. At times, we answer, "Yes, you can always get your own way!" While at other times, parents can swing to the other extreme, "No, you can never have your way, you can only do my way." As a parent, we may recognize that, truthfully, the answer needs to lie more in the middle; sometimes our kids can get their way, but sometimes they just cannot.

Here in Jonah chapter 1, I imagine God’s response to Jonah falling into this scenario. God loves Jonah, we know that, but in this moment, Jonah is seeking his own way, and in all of His loving kindness, God steps in and says, “No.” “For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the Lord, because he had told them” (Jonah 1:10). Jonah was not hiding the fact that he was trying to go his own way. As the storm, continues we see the men on the ship asking what to do to get this storm to end. Jonah, knowing that this storm was due to him trying to get his own way, says to throw him into the sea. Finally, in verse 15 it says, “So they picked up Jonah and hurled him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging” (Jonah 1:15).

These verses are such an interesting depiction of how God used this storm to show both His love for and kindness to Jonah. Just as parents cannot allow their children to get their own way all the time, God loved Jonah too much to allow him to go his own way and used a storm to get his attention. I can say that I do not always want to view the storms in my life as God trying to get my attention or redirect me back to what He desires me to do. Take time today to reflect on ways God might be trying to get your attention and direct your heart back to Him.